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UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
AT   LOS  ANGELES 


National  Education  Association 


Final  Report  of  the  Committee 

ON 

Uniform  Records  and  Reports 

TO  THE 

National  Council 

AT  THE 

St.  Louis  Meeting 

February,  191 2 


Composed  and  Printed  By 

The  University  of  Cbicaeo  Press 

Chicago,  Illinois,  U.S.A; 


Education 
Ukrpry 


L3 


REPORT  OF  THE  COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM 
RECORDS  AND  REPORTS 


^  The  committee  on  uniform  records  and  reports  has,  since  the  last 
^meeting  of  the  department,  continued  its  work  along  the  lines  indicated 
tin  the  preliminary  report  submitted  at  that  meeting.  That  progress 
'^  has  been  made  is  indicated  by  statistics  which  were  gathered  by  the  United 
States  Bureau  of  Education  showing  that  216  cities  are  now  using  the 
^cumulative  record  card,  and  that  418  cities  are  able  to  report  their  fiscal 
'2.  statistics  on  the  form  which  was  recommended  by  this  committee  in  co- 
(^  operation  with  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Education,  the  Census  Office,  and 
i  the  Association  of  School  Accounting  Officers.  We  believe  that  the  work 
^  which  has  been  begun  by  our  committee  should  be  continued  by  a  permanent 
'^'committee  whose  duty  it  should  be  to  suggest,  from  time  to  time,  such 
+  improvements  in  records  and  repbrts  as  may  be  determined  by  their  study 
iff  of  the  situation. 

The  report  which  follows  is  divided  into  the  following  sections:  (i) 
records  and  reports  for  state  school  systems;  (2)  records  and  reports  for 
city  school  systems;  (3)  pupil  records  with  special  reference  to  the  cumula- 
tive record  card;  and  (4)  the  report  of  fiscal  statistics.  Accompanying  this 
discussion  there  are  presented  as  separate  documents  the  cumulative  record 
card  recommended  by  the  committee;  the  form  for  reporting  fiscal  statistics 
which  was  prepared  in  conference  with  the  Bureau  of  Education,  the 
Census  Office,  and  the  Association  of  School  Accounting  Officers,  and  which 
is  now  furnished  to  cities  by  the  Bureau  of  Education;  and  the  form  for  a 
teacher's  register. 

STATE   REPORTS 

In  dealing  with  that  section  of  its  work  which  relates  to  state  accounting 
and  reports  the  committee  appreciates  fully  that  the  legislation  of  the 
various  states  has  a  most  important  bearing  on  the  practicability  of  uni- 
formity in  matters  of  detail.  On  some  points  this  legislation  has  to  do 
with  matters  of  fundamental  concern  to  the  states,  and  modification  of  it  is 
extremely  unlikely.  Such  for  example  are  statutes  dealing  with  the  dis- 
tribution of  state  school  funds.  Such  funds  are  secured  in  a  considerable 
variety  of  ways,  and  this  distribution  is  arranged  on  various  bases  satisfac- 
tory to  the  legislatures  of  the  different  states.  While  there  will  doubtless 
be  an  increasing  recognition  of  the  basic  principles  that  should  govern  such 
distribution,  and  this  recognition  will  lead  to  a  certain  degree  of  uniformity 
in  the  bases  of  distribution  selected,  it  is  hardly  conceivable  that  local 


NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 


considerations  will  not  continue  to  govern  largely  such  plans.  Recognizing 
this  and  other  differences,  it  is  clear  that  the  statistics  of  the  states  must  in  a 
considerable  measure  conform  to  definitions,  terms,  and  methods  that  com- 
ply with  local  statutes  and  conditions. 

The  committee  does  not  regard  it  as  essential  to  the  purposes  of  this 
report  to  deal,  beyond  this  explanatory  reference,  with  these  necessary 
points  of  difference.  The  following  recommendations  it  hopes  will  prove 
a  constructive  contribution  to  the  part  that  may  be  taken  by  the  state 
departments  in  securing  reasonable  uniformity  in  reporting  and  in  attaining 
a  more  efficient  publicity  thru  official  reports. 

The  forms  to  be  employed  by  states  in  gathering  statistics  should  be  similar 
in  general  form  and  arrangement  to  those  used  by  the  national  bureau. — The 
committee  recognizes  that  an  important  step  toward  uniformity  in  report- 
ing will  be  to  present  to  the  various  reporting  officers  of  the  country  statis- 
tical forms  as  nearly  as  practicable,  uniform  in  terms,  definitions,  and 
arrangement. 

If  it  could  be  made  possible  for  the  local  officer  to  report  both  to  the 
state  and  to  the  national  bureau  on  practically  the  same  basis,  distinct 
gains  both  in  accuracy  and  in  uniformity  would  accrue. 

The  committee  recognizes  the  great  desirability  of  an  arrangement 
whereby  the  statistics  of  the  Bureau  of  Education  as  relating  to  units 
within  the  several  states  might  be  gathered  thru  the  various  state  depart- 
ments of  education.  Such  a  plan  would  obviate  the  necessity  of  a  second 
reporting  by  local  officers,  while  it  should  doubtless  increase  the  means  at 
the  disposal  of  the  Bureau  of  Education  for  securing  statistics  from  the  local 
units.  This  plan  of  reporting  to  the  Bureau  of  Education  thru  the  state 
offices,  the  committee  recommends  for  adoption  as  early  as  practicable.  It 
sees  no  reason  why  it  may  not  be  adopted  by  those  states  that  are  in  position 
to  make  such  co-operative  arrangements  even  tho  all  state  departments 
may  not  be  able  to  make  them  at  once. 

In  the  meantime  it  repeats  the  recommendation  of  its  preliminary  report,- 
to  the  effect  that  state  departments  in  securing  statistics  from  units  within 
the  states  conform  so  far  as  possible  to  the  forms  employed  by  the  Bureau 
of  Education,  supplementing  the  points  covered  therein  with  those  required 
for  local  use.  These  forms,  it  will  be  noted,  may  be  issued  both  in  the 
"long"  and  the  "short"  forms  for  use,  respectively,  with  larger  munici- 
palities and  with  smaller  school  systems.  These  forms,  issued  by  the 
Bureau  of  Education  and  approved  in  conference  with  this  committee,  are 
submitted  herewith  and  made  a  part  of  this  report. 

Essential  points  not  now  reported  by  all  the  states  should  by  agreement 
come  under  universal  reporting. — A  careful  inspection  both  of  national  and  of 
state  reports  shows  that  there  are  various  fundamental  points  of  information 
relative  to  schools  that  are  reported  by  a  majority  of  the  states  but  are  not 
reported  by  all  of  them.    The  committee  believes  that  the  basis  adopted  by 


COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS  5 

the  Bureau  of  Education  for  all  leading  items  is  at  once  conservative  and 
reasonably  comprehensive  and  that  it  should  be  adopted  by  all  the  states. 

In  its  preliminary  report  the  committee  called  attention  to  various 
items  regarded  as  fundamental  by  a  majority  of  the  states,  but  not  reported 
by  all  of  them.  In  order  to  collect  figures  on  some  of  these  points,  as,  for 
example,  the  school  census  (not  taken  by  3  states),  enumeration  by  sex 
(omitted  by  13  states),  school  enrollment  (only  partially  taken  by  12  states), 
wages  of  teachers  (not  returned  for  the  sexes  separately),  and  private  schools 
(not  fully  reported),  it  may  be  necessary  to  secure  additional' legislative 
authority.  The  fact  that  so  large  a  majority  of  the  states  have  found  it 
desirable  to  secure  these  statistics  is  sufficient  evidence  of  their  general 
interest  and  value. 

Educational  reports  should  be  made  for  the  year  ending  June  30. — There 
appears  to  be  a  considerable  variety  in  the  terms  for  which  reports  are 
made.  The  committee  recommends  that  all  school  systems,  including 
state  systems,  make  their  reports  on  all  educational  items  for  the  year 
ending  June  30.  It  does  not  appear  to  the  committee  that  such  reports 
for  this  period  are  necessarily  inconsistent  with  a  plan  of  making  fiscal 
reports  for  a  fiscal  year  terminating  on  another  date. 

The  scope  of  the  state  report  should  he  coextensive  with  all  educational 
interests  of  the  state. — The  committee  believes  that  the  educational  report  of 
each  state  should  bear  the  same  relation,  but  more  in  detail,  to  the  state  and 
its  educational  activities  that  the  national  report  bears  to  the  entire  country. 

A  review  of  state  school  reports  reveals  a  wide  variety  of  practice 
in  the  scope  of  investigation  conducted  by  state  departments.  Some 
of  these  reports  cover  only  the  essential  points  of  public-school  conduct 
required  by  law  to  be  returned  to  the  state  offices,  while  others  aim  to  report 
with  reasonable  fullness  all  the  educational  activities  of  the  state. 

With  regard  to  the  content  of  state  reports  the  committee  commends  to 
the  favorable  consideration  of  state  officers  the  proposition  that  each  state 
report  shall  be  a  compendium  of  all  the  educational  activities  of  the  state 
for  which  it  is  made.  As  a  supplement  to  this  proposition,  the  committee 
mentions  the  following  suggestive  outline: 

1.  A  review  of  educational  progress  of  other  states,  with  particular 
bearing  upon  forward  movements  within  the  state. 

2.  Detailed  statistics  of  all  public  schools  under  local  management; 
{a)  elementary;  {b)  secondary;  (c)  normal;  id)  collegiate;  ie)  city  insti- 
tutional; (/)  for  special  pupils;  (g)  vocational;  {h)  extensional. 

3.  Summaries  of  the  foregoing. 

4.  Public  schools  under  direct  state  management:  (a)  elementary; 
{b)  secondary;  (c)  normal;  {d)  collegiate;  (e)  technical  or  vocational; 
if)  professional;  (g)  schools  for  delinquents;  {h)  schools  for  defectives; 
if)  special. 

5.  Summaries  of  the  foregoing. 


NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 


6.  Schools  under  private  management:  (a)  elementary;  (6)  secondary; 
(c)  collegiate;  {d)  vocational;  (e)  professional;  (/)  schools  for  delinquents; 
ig)  schools  for  defectives;  Qt)  special, 

7.  Summaries  of  the  foregoing. 

8.  Special  investigations: 

a)  Investigations  dealing  with  special  problems,  such  as  school  mor- 
tality, nonpromotion,  etc.,  are  most  efficiently  conducted  thru  local  school 
systems.  The  fruits  of  such  investigations  should,  however,  thru  the 
medium  of  the  state  report  be  made  available  to  all  the  people  of  the  state. 

h)  State-wide  investigations  dealing  with  forward  movements  affecting 
a  large  number  of  communities,  such  as  school  consolidation,  conveyance, 
secondary-school  distribution,  rural  progress,  etc.,  should  be  made  directly 
by  state  offices. 

Special  reports  or  bulletins  should  he  issued  at  intervals. — ^The  committee 
strongly  recommends  the  issuing  by  the  states  of  bulletins  or  special  reports 
dealing  with  particular  issues  at  times  separate  from  that  of  the  publica- 
tion of  the  comprehensive  state  report.  Such  separate  reports  may  be 
made  timely  to  the  discussion  of  these  special  issues  and  hence  may  be 
made  more  effective  in  promoting  a  public  understanding  of  them. 

The  use  of  charts,  diagrams,  and  illustrations  should  be  considerably 
increased. — ^The  committee  recommends  that  the  state  reports,  in  common 
with  city  reports,  make  larger  use  of  charts,  diagrams,  and  illustrations  for 
the  purpose  of  presenting  with  greater  force  matters  of  special  and  timely 
interest.  While  these  are  in  the  nature  of  devices  and  as  such  are  rarely 
applicable,  to  the  same  set  of  statistics  each  year,  yet  they  undoubtedly 
make  an  appeal  to  the  interest  of  any  subject  that  a  verbal  or  tabular 
statement  fails  to  effect,  with  a  resultant  better  understanding  of  it. 

Comparative  tables  should  be  arranged  covering  intervals  of  several  years 
and  certain  phases  of  school  activity  should  be  reported  for  longer  periods. — The 
committee  believes  that  both  state  and  city  reports  should  make  compara- 
tive tables  showing  statistics  covering  intervals  of  5  or  10  years.  Such 
tables  should  appear  on  many  items  that  are  annually  reported.  The 
work  of  gathering  statistics  would,  however,  be  considerably  simplified 
if  statistics  on  various  phases  of  educational  progress  should  be  gathered 
at  decennial  periods,  and  the  committee  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  purpose 
for  which  these  statistics  are  gathered  would  be  fully  met  by  such  occasional 
reporting.  The  United  States  Bureau  of  Education  should  become  the 
source  of  suggestions  as  to  what  information  shall  be  collected  for  other 
than  annual  periods. 

Interpretation  of  statistics  is  necessary. — As  in  the  case  of  city  reports, 
the  state  report  must  discharge  as  fully  as  possible  its  chief  function  as  an 
agent  of  publicity.  The  merely  formal  presentation  of  figures  or  tables 
is  only  a  step  toward  publicity.  The  reporting  officer  should  bring  his 
school  experience  and  his  larger  outlook  over  the  educational  field  to  the 


COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS 


aid  of  the  public  thru  an  adequate  interpretation  of  the  statistics  presented. 
Such  interpretations  should  in  part  be  made  in  the  reports  themselves, 
closely  connected  with  tables  and  their  summaries.  They  will  have 
particular  value,  however,  when  presented  at  opportune  times  thru  special 
bulletins,  exhibits,  and  the  public  press.  The  committee  recommends  a 
largely  increased  attention  to  that  phase  of  educational  reporting  that 
aims  to  make  statistics  intelligible  to  the  largest  possible  constituency. 

Outline  Form  of  City  School  Report 

/i.  Normal  school  (organized  i8 — ). 

a)  Academic  high  schools   (first  organized 
18-). 

b)  Technical    high    school    (opened    Oct., 
19—). 

c)  High  school  of  commerce  (opened  Oct., 
19—). 


2.  High  school. 


13.  Elementary  school. 


Outline  of  school/ 
system 


la)  Regular 
18—). 


'b)  Special  ele- 
mentary 
schools. 


Kindergarten  (opened  — ). 

a)  Evening 


elementary   schools    (organized 

(i)  Boys'  school  (opened 
18-). 

(2)  School  for  deaf  (estab- 
lished 18—). 

(3)  Schools  of  individual 
instruction  (defect- 
ives) (opened  18 — ). 

(4)  Backward  schools  (or- 
ganized 19 — ).  • 

(5)  School  for  cripples 
(opened  19 — ). 

(6)  School  for  blind 
(opened  19 — ). 

(7)  Elementary  industrial 
school  (organized 
19-). 


^5.  Evening  school. 


6.  Summer  school . 


elementary    schools     (opened 
18—). 
b)  Evening  high  schools  (opened  19 — ). 

a)  Summer  high  school  (opened  19 — ). 

b)  Summer     grammar     schools      (opened 

19—). 

c)  Summer  primary  schools  (opened  18 — ). 

d)  Summer  manual-training  school  (opened 

19—). 

e)  Summer  boys'  school  (opened  19 — ). 
/)   Summer  kindergartens  (opened  19 — ). 
g)  Summer  playgrounds  (opened  19 — ). 
Etc.,  etc. 


SUMMARY   OF   RECOMMENDATIONS  RELATING   TO   STATE  REPORTS 

A.  That  the  state  departments  adopt  forms  for  receiving  statistics 
from  the  units  within  the  state  similar,  as  far  as  practicable,  in  arrangement 
to  those  used  by  the  Bureau  of  Education. 

B.  That  all  the  state  departments  in  gathering  information  adopt 
as  a  basis  the  items  accepted  by  the  practice  of  a  majority  of  states  and 
of  the  Bureau  of  Education. 


8 


NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 


C.  That  educational  statistics  be  reported  for  the  year  ending  June  30. 

D.  That  each  state  report  be  made  the  clearing-house  of  information 
of  all  educational  institutions  and  activities  within  the  state. 

E.  That  the  state  report  give  publicity  to  any  local  investigations 
whose  findings  would  have  general  interest  and  that  it  include  the  findings 
of  state-wide  investigations  covering  matters  of  state-wide  application. 

F.  That  special  bulletins  or  reports  be  issued  at  opportune  times. 

G.  That  tables  be  arranged  to  show  comparisons  covering  a  range 
of  years  and  that  certain  phases  of  educational  activity  be  reported  at 
decennial  or  other  periods. 

H.  That  larger  attention  be  paid  to  the  interpretation  of  statistics. 


CITY   SCHOOL   REPORTS 

The  need  for  the  gathering  of  data  showing  actual  conditions  in  the 
schools  is  obvious.  If  the  school  is  to  be  scientifically  managed,  and  its 
effectiveness  definitely  measured  by  fixed  tests,  eliminating  mere  personal 
bias  and  unsupported  opinion,  facts  must  be  collected  and  employed  as  a 
guide  to  administration. 

For  convenience,  an  outline  showing  the  organization  of  the  school 
system,  together  with  the  date  of  introduction  of  various  kinds  of  activities, 
such  as  evening  schools,  summer  schools,  manual  training,  etc.,  should 
constitute  part  of  a  school  report.  The  outline  on  the  opposite  page 
suggests  merely  one  form  in  which  this  may  be  expressed. 

teachers'  salary  table 

Obviously,  the  question  of  salaries  is  important.  For  purposes  of 
comparison,  it  is  desirable  to  gather  data  showing  the  number  of  teachers 
at  the  various  salary  units  indicated  in  the  following  table: 


Number  of  Elementary-School  Teachers  with 
Salaries 


Below  $350. . . 
$350  to  $400. 

400  to     450. 

450  to 

500  to 

550  to 

600  to 

650  to 

700  to 

750  to 

800  to 

85010 

900  to 

950  to  1,000.. . 
1,000  to  1,050.. . 
1,050  to  1,100..  . 
1,100  to  1,150..  . 
1,150  to  1,200.. . 
1,200  and  above. 


500. 

550- 
600. 
650. 
700. 

75°- 
800. 
850. 
900. 
950- 


Number  of  High-School  Teachers  with 
Salaries 


Below  $500 

$500  to  $600. .  . 

600  to     700. .  . 

700  to     800. .  . 

800  to     900. .  . 

900  to  1 ,000. .  . 
1,000  to  1,100. .  . 
1,100  to  1,200..  . 
1,200  to  1,300..  . 
1,300  to  1,400..  . 
1,400  to  1,500. .  . 
1,500  to  1,600..  . 
1,600  to  1,700. .  . 
1,700  to  1,800..  . 
1 ,800  to  1 ,900. .  . 
1,900  to  2,000..  . 
2,000  and  above. 


COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS  g 

The  following  form  of  table  is  used  to  show  the  percentage  of  teachers 
for  the  various  periods  of  service : 


Percentage  of  Elementary  Teachers 
for  the  Period 

Percent- 
age 

Percentage  of  High-School  Teachers 
for  the  Period 

Percent- 
age 

Under  5  years 

Under  5  years 

5  to  9  years 

^  to  0  years 

10  to  14  years 

10  to  14  years 

15  to  19  years 

I  <;  to  iQ  years 

20  to  24  years 

20  to  24  years 

25  to  29  years 

2  >;  to  20  years 

30  years  and  above •. . 

30  years  and  above 

UNITS   OF   COST 

Increasing  interest  centers  in  cost.  It  is  important  that  the  per  capita 
cost  of  instruction,  on  the  one  hand,  and  of  equipment  and  supplies,  on 
the  other,  should  be  shown  not  only  city  wide,  but  also  per  building.  The 
per  capita  cost  for  each  subject  in  the  high  school,  for  example,  chemistry, 
physics,  manual  training,  etc.,  should  be  shown  for  each  building,  and  also 
city  wide.  Moreover,  for  purposes  of  comparison,  these  tables  of  cost 
should  cover  a  period  of  5  or  even  10  years.  Not  only  does  economy  in 
educational  supplies  and  educational  equipment  follow  such  exhibit  of 
tables  of  cost,  but  it  leads  to  unification  and  standardization  of  educational 
equipment  in  the  various  buildings  in  a  school  district.  Tables  similar 
to  the  following  will  be  found  helpful:  , 

PER  CAPITA  COST   OF  INSTRUCTION 

TABLE  I 
Showing  Cost  or  Instruction  in  the  Regular  Day  Elementary  Schools,  for  the 
Years  1903-12,  the  Enrollment,  the  Per  Capita  Cost  of  Instruction,  the 
Increase  and  the  Percentage  of  Increase  in  Per  Capita  Cost  of  Each  Year 
OVER  THE  Preceding,  Also  the  Percentage  of  Increase  in  Per  Capita  Cost 
Since  1903 


Yean 

Cost  of 
Instruction 
in  Regular 
Day  Ele- 
mentary 
Schools 

Enrollment 

in  Regular 
Day  Ele- 
mentary 
Schools, 

or  Average 
Daily 

Attendance, 
or  Both 

Per  Capita 

Cost  of 
Instruction 
in  Regular 
Day  Ele- 
mentary 
School 

Increase  in 
Per  Capita 
Cost  over 
Preceding 
Year 

Percentage 

of  Increase 

in  Per 

Capita 

Cost  over 

Preceding 

Year 

Percentage 

of 

Increase 

in 

Per  Capita 

Cost 
Since  1903 

1002-^ 

IQO^-4 

1004-^ 

iQO<;-6 

1906-7 

1907-8 

1008-0 

1909-10 

1910-11 

1911— 12 

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NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 


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COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS 


12 


NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 


TABLE  III 

Showing  Cost  of  Instruction,  Enrollment,  and  per  Capita  Cost  of 

Instruction  in  Each  Type  of  School  in  the  City  of , 

FOR  the  Year  


Cost  of  In- 
struction 


Enrollment 
or  Average 
DaUy  At- 
tendance 


Per  Capita 
Cost  of  In- 
struction 


Nonnal 

High  schools 

Academic  high  school 

Technical  high  school 

High  school  of  commerce . . . 

Elementary  schools 

Regular  elementary 

Special  elementary 

Backward  school 

School  for  blind 

Boys'  school 

School  for  cripples 

School  for  deaf 

Elementary  industrial . . . . 

Special  schools 

Kindergarten 

Evening  schools 

Evening  high  schools 

Evening  elementary  schools . 

Summer  schools 

Summer  high  schools 

Summer  elementary  schools . 

Grammar  school 

Primary  school 

Manual-training  school . . . 

Boys'  school 

Kindergarten 

Playgrounds 


The  following  table  is  a  t)^e  by  which  may  be  shown  various  statistical 
items  of  interest  and  value  covering  a  period  of  years: 

TABLE  IV 
Showing  Enrollment  in  the  Regular  Day  Elementary  School  for  the  Years 

^1903-12,  THE  NxmBER  OF  TEACHERS  IN  THE  REGULAR  DAY  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL, 

Number  of  Pupils  per  Teacher,  the  Decrease  in  Number  Pupils  per  Teacher 
!  '■■  '*  "over  Preceding  Year,  and  the  Percentage  of  Decrease  in  Number  of  Pupils 
per  Teacher  since  1903 


Enrollment 

Regular  Day 

Elementary 

School* 


Teachers  in 

Regular  Day 

Elementary 

School 


Pupils  per 

Teacher  in 

Regular  Day 

Elementary 

School 


Decrease  over 
Preceding  Year 
in  Number  Pu- 
pils per 
Teacher  in 
Regular  Day 
Elementary 
School 


Percentage  of 
Decrease  in 

Number  Pupils 
per  Teacher 
since  1903 


1902-3 . . 
1903-4 . . 
1904-5 .  . 
1905-6 . . 
1906-7. . 
1907-8 . . 
1908-9. . 
1909-10. 
1910-II. 
1911-12. 


*  Exclusive  of  transfers  and  the  enrollment  of  all  special  schools 


COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS 


13 


TABLE  V 
Showing  the  Enrollment  in  the  Regular  Day  Elementary  Schools  for  the 
Years  1903-12,  the  Number  of  Regular  Teachers  in  the  Regular  Day  Ele- 
mentary Schools,  the  Average  Number  Pupils  per  Regular  Teacher,  the 
Decrease  in  Number  of  Pupils  over  the  Preceding  Year,  Also  the  Per- 
centage OF  Decrease  in  Number  of  Pupils  per  Regular  Teacher  since  1903 


Enrollment 

Regular  Day 

Elementary 

Schools 


Number  Regular 

Teachers 

Regular  Day 

Elementary 

Schools 


Number  Pupils 

per  Regular 

Teacher  Regular 

Day  Elementary 

Schools 


Decrease  in 

Number  Pupils 

per  Regular 

Teacher 


Percentage  of 

Decrease  in 

Number  Pupils 

per  Regular 

Teacher  since 

1903 


1902-3 . , 
1903-4. . 

1904-S • . 
1905-6 .  . 
1906-7. , 
1907-8. 
1908-9. , 
1009-10. 
1910-11. 
19x1-12. 


TABLE  VI 

Showing  Enrollment  in  Latin,  English,  Algebra,  etc.,  the  Number 

Dropping  Out  and  Failing  in  Each  High-School  Class 


I  Latin . . . 
II  Latin . . . 

III  Latin.., 

IV  Latin.., 
I  English, 

II  English, 

III  English, 

IV  English, 

Algebra 

Etc 


Number 
Enrolled  in 
the  Study 


Number 

Dropping 

Study 


Number 
Remaining 


Failures  of 

Number 

Remaining 

to  End  of 

Year 


Total  Fail- 
ing and 
Dropping 
Study 


Percentage 
of  Failures 
of  Those 
Remaining 
to  End  of 
Year 


Percentage 

of  Total 

Failures 

and  Drop- 

ing  Study 


ANNUAL  REPORT  OF  THE  SUPERINTENDENT  OF  SCHOOLS 

Every  report  should  contain  a  table  of  contents,  showing  not  only  the 
general  headings  treated  in  the  report,  but  also  the  subheads.  Such  reports 
should  also  contain  a  carefully  prepared  index.  These  two  items  make 
usable  the  school  report  and  are  important  factors  in  its  make-up. 

Every  annual  report  of  a  city  superintendent  should  also  contain  tables 
showing  enrollment,  distribution  of  enrollment,  withdrawals,  distribution 
of  withdrawals,  nonpromotions,  distribution  of  nonpromotions,  etc. 
Information  upon  which  these  figures  may  be  compiled  should  be  gathered 
on  forms  similar  to  those  which  are  named  immediately  below  by  title,  and 


14  NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 

which  are  prmted  on  the  pages  following  with  the  exception  of  all  but  one 
of  those  forms  which  pertain  to  high  schools.  As  the  high-school  forms 
are  similar  in  all  essential  respects  to  those  for  the  elementary  schools, 
it  has  not  seemed  necessary  to  print  them.  These  same  forms  may  also 
be  used  in  the  superintendent's  annual  report  for  the  presentation  of  statis- 
tics upon  these  same  points. 

Elementary  Schools 
pkincipal's  term  report 

A.  Enrollment,  promotions,  nonpromotions,  by  grades. 

B.  Distribution  of  enrollment  by  ages  and  grades. 

C.  Distribution  of  withdrawals  by  ages  and  causes. 

D.  Distribution  of  attendance. 

E.  Graduates  by  years  in  schools. 

F.  Nonpromotions  by  grades  and  causes.  ^ 

G.  Failures,  by  studies  and  grades. 

H.  Distribution  of  leavings  and  withdrawals  by  ages  and  grades. 

I.  Ages  of  graduates. 

J.  Enrollment  and  attendance. 

K.  Distribution  of  whole-time  teachers. 

teacher's  term  report 

L.  Enrollment  by  divisions. 

M.  Nonpromotions  by  grades  and  causes. 

N.  Failures  by  studies  and  grades. 

O.  EnroUment  and  attendance. 

P.  Distribution  of  enrollment  by  ages. 

Q.  Distribution  of  withdrawals  by  ages  and  causes. 

R.  Distribution  of  leavings  by  ages. 

S.  Beginners  by  training. 

T.  Beginners  by  ages. 

High  Schools 
principal's  term  report 

AA.  Enrollment  and  attendance. 

BB.  Distribution  of  enrollment  by  ages  and  classes. 

CC.  Source  of  new  pupils. 

DD.  Ages  of  new  pupils. 

EE.  Distribution  of  leavings  and  withdrawals  by  ages  and  classes. 

FF.  Ages  of  graduates. 

GG.  Distribution  of  enrollment,  number  leaving,  withdrawals,  by  classes  and  terms. 

HH.  Distribution  of  enrollment,  number  leaving,  withdrawals,  by  courses  and  classes . 

II.  Distribution  of  withdrawals  by  classes,  ages,  causes. 

JJ.  Graduates  by  year  in  school. 

KK.  Distribution  of  teachers. 

LL.  Enrollment  in  studies  and  failures  in  each. 


COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS 


15 


teacher's  term  report 

MM.  Enrollment  and  attendance. 

NN.  Distribution  of  enrollment  by  ages  and  classes. 

00.  Source  of  new  pupils. 

PP.  Ages  of  new  pupils. 

QQ.  Distribution  of  enrollment,  number  leaving,  withdrawals,  by  classes  and  terms. 

RR.  Distribution  of  enrollment,  number  leaving,  withdrawals,  by  courses  and  classes. 

SS.  Distribution  of  withdrawals. 

TT.  Distribution  of  leavings  and  withdrawals,  by  ages  and  classes. 

UU.  Age  of  graduates. 

VY.  Graduates  by  years  in  school. 


Report  of  the 


PUBLIC  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

School,  for  the  Term  Ending 


-,  191- 


ENROLLMENT,   PROMOTIONS,   NONPROMOTTONS,   BY   GRADES 

All  percentages  will  be  figured  at  office  of  superintendent. 


First  Grade 

-a 
•43 

0 

■4-1 

1 

i 

.2 

CO 

TOTAI 

Divisions 

Total 

All  Grades 

C 

F 

A 

1 

•a 

3 

•3 

1 

3 
0 

-2 

B. 

G. 

T. 

B. 

G. 

T. 

B. 

G. 

T. 

^ 

Enrollment  for  term .... 

In  division  first  time  . 

Previously  in  division . 

Leaving 

Withdrawals 

Enrollment  at  date  this 
report 

Percentage  enrollment  at 
date  on  enrollment 
for  term 

Promotions:     One  divi- 
sion only 

Percentage  on  enroll- 
ment at  date 

Percentage  on  enroll- 
ment for  term 

Promotions:     Two  divi- 
sions   

Percentage  on  enroll- 
ment at  date          .  . 

Percentage  on  enroll- 
ment for  term 

Nonpromotions 

From  in  division  first 

From  previously  in  di- 

Percentage      nonpromo- 
tions on  enrollment 

Percentage      nonpromo- 
tions on  enrollment 

i6 


NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 


1 

1 

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MMMMMMMCS 

Total  by  grades 

Below  normal  age 

Normal  age 

COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS 


17 


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Financial  condi- 
tion of  home . . . 

Illness  in  family.  . 

Personal  illness . . . 

Physical  defects  . . 

Incapacity 

fmental)  

Indifference 

Failing  promotion 

Left  city 

To  go  to  work  . . . 

0 

H 

i8 


NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 


DISTRIBUTION  OF  ATTENDANCE 


Time 


Boys 


Girls 


Total 


Percentage 
of  Whole 
Number 


Attending  entire  term . 
Attending  at  least — 
80  days 


70  days 

60  days 

50  days 

40  days 

30  days 

20  days 

10  days 

Attending  less  than  10  days . 


Total  (equal  enrollment  for  term) . 


GRADUATES,   BY  YEARS  IN   SCHOOLS'' 


Boys 


Girls 


Total 


Taking  six  years 

Six  and  one-third .  .  .  . 

Six  and  two-thirds .  . . 
Taking  seven  years .... 

Seven  and  one-third .  . 

Seven  and  two-thirds . 
Taking  eight  years 

Eight  and  one-third .  . 

Eight  and  two-thirds. 
Taking  nine  years 

Nine  and  one-third .  . 

Nine  and  two-thirds . . 
Taking  ten  years 


Total. 


*  Counting  three  terms  as  a  school  year.  Data  from  promotion  record  card. 


COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS 


19 


NONPROMOTIONS,  BY  GRADES  AND  CAUSES 


Irregular 
Attendance 

Physical 
Defects 

Personal 
lUness 

Incapacity 

(Mental) 

Indiffer- 
ence 

FIRST  GRADE* 

(  Bovs. . 

C ]  Girls .  . 

(  Total. . 

(  Boys. . 

B ]  Girls. . 

(  Total. . 

C  Boys. . 

A ]  Girls.. 

(  Total. . 

(Boys. . 

Total ]  Girls . . 

(  Total. . 

SECOND  GRADE 

(  Boys. . 

C ]  Girls . . 

(  Total. . 

(  Boys . . 

B ]  Girls . . 

(  Total. . 

(  Boys . . 

A ■  Girls . . 

{  Total. . 

(  Boys . . 

Total •  Girls . . 

( Total. . 

THIRD   GRADE 

(  Boys. . 

C ]  Girls. . 

(  Total. . 

(  Boys. . 

B -^  Girls.. 

(  Total. . 

CBoys. . 

A -^  Girls.. 

(  Total. . 

I  Bo)rs. . 



Total ]  Girls. . 

(  Total. . 

•     (  Boys . . 

Grand  total ]  Girls. . 

(  Total. . 

Percentage  of  total  due  each  cause 

•  Same  form  used  for  grades  fourth  to  eighth. 


20 


NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 


FAILXIRES,  BY  STUDIES  AND  GRADES 


Reading 

Spelling 

Language 

Grammar 

Arithmetic 

History 

Geography 

FIRST  Gi 
( 

LADE* 

'  Boys . . 

c ' 

Girls.. 

i 

Total. . 



Bovs. . 

B.... 

Girls.. 

Total.. 

Boys. . 

A 

Girls.. 

Total. . 

Boys. . 

Total.  .  . 

Girls.. 

Total. . 

SECOND  G 

c 

■ 1 

A • 

Total...  ■ 

THIRD   GI 

c 

B i 

A \ 

Total.  .  . 

i 

Grand       { 

total. .  - 

i 

RADE 

Boys. . 

Girls.  . 

Total.. 

Bojrs. . 

Girls.. 

Total. . 

Boys. . 

Girls.. 

Total. . 

Boys . . 

Girls .  . 

Total. . 

lADE 

Boys. . 

Girls . . 

Total. . 

Bovs. . 

Girb.. 

Total. . 

Boys . . 

Girls.. 

Total. . 

Boys. . 

Girls . . 

Total. . 

* 

Boys. . 

Girls.. 

Total, . 

Percentage  failures 
on  enrollment  for 
term 

•  Same  form  used  for  grades  fourth  to  eighth. 


COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS 


21 


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Total  by  grades. .  .• 

Below  normal  age 

Normal  age 

Above  normal  age 

22 


NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 


AGES  OP  GRADUATES* 

II 

13 

13 

14 

IS 

16 

17 

18 

Total 

Bovs 

Girls 

. 

Total 

*  Give  age  at  last  birthday. 

ENROLLMENT  AND  ATTENDANCE 

Boys 

Girk 

Total 

Average  monthly  enrollment 

Average  daily  attenda 

Qce. . . 

Term  ending 191 


PUBLIC  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Teacher's  Term  Report 
building  Grade 


.  Teacher 


grade 

Divisions 

Total 

C 

B 

A 

1 

i 

B. 

G. 

T. 

B. 

G. 

T. 

B. 

G. 

T. 

s 
^ 

Enrollment  for  term 

In  division  first  time 

Previously  in  division 

Leaving 

Withdrawals 

Enrollment  at  date  of  this  report 

Promotions: 
One  division  only 

Two  divisions 

Nonpromotions 

From  in  division  first  time 

Previously  in  division 

COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS 


23 


NONPROMOTIONS,  BY  GRADES  AND  CAUSES 

Irregular 
Attendance 

Physical 
Defects 

Personal 
Illness 

Incapacity 
(Mental) 

Indiffer- 
ence 

GRADE 

( 

c • 

i 

( 

Boys. . 

Girls. . 

Total. . 

Boys. . 

B J 

Girls. . 

i 

Total., 

I 

Boys. . 

A 

Girls.. 

i 

Total. . 

Boys. . 

Total J  • 

Girls.. 

Total.. 

Percentage    total    nonpromotions 
due  each  cause 

FAILURES, 

BY  STUDIES  AND  GRADES 

Read- 
ing 

Spelling 

Lan- 
guage 

Gram- 
mar 

Arith- 
metic 

History 

Geog- 
raphy 

GRADE 

( 

Boys. . 

c 5 

Girb. . 

Total.. 

Boys. . 

B H 

Girls.. 

Total.. 

Boys. . 

A H 

Girls.. 

Total.. 

Total 

i 

Boys. . 

Girls . . 

Total. . 

Percentage  failures  on  enrollment  for 
term 

Ayerage  monthly  enrollment. . 

Ayerage  daily  attendance 

DISTRIBUTION  OF  ENROLLMENT  AT  DATE  OF  THIS  REPORT,  BY  AGES* 


AOKS 

_, 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

II 

13 

13 

14 

IS 

16 

17 

18 

19 

30 

Total 

Boys 

Girls 

Total 

*  This  table  to  be  filled  in  on  May  report  only. 


24 


NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 


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Financial  condition  of 

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Illness  in  family 

Physical  defects 

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Indifference 

Failing  promotion 

Left  city  and  entered  no 

school 

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o 

> 

) 

COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS  2$ 


DISTRIBUTION   OF   LEAVINGS,   BY  AGES 


Ages 

fr 

7 

8 

9 

lO 

II 

13 

13 

14 

IS 

i6 

I? 

i8 

19 

20 

Total 

Boys 

Girls 

Total 

BEGINNERS  I   C  DIVISION,  BY  TRATNING 


Boys 


Girls 


Total 


Total  mimber  of  beginners 

a)  Number  having  received  kindergarten  training. .  . . 

h)  Number  having  received  no  kindergarten  training . 
Promotions 

a)  Number  having  received  kindergarten  training . . . , 

h)  Number  having  received  no  kindergarten  training . , 
Nonpromotions 

a)  Nimiber  having  received  kindergarten  training . . . . 

b)  Number  having  received  no  kindergarten  training . . 


Sf  up  to6.  . 

6  up  to  6  J . 
6|  up  to  61 . 
6|  up  to  7 . . 

7  upt0  7j. 
7jupto  ^\. 
7f  up  to  8 .  . 

8  up  to  8| . 
8|  up  to  9 .  . 

9  and  above . 


BEGINNERS   I   C  DIVISION,  BY  AGES 


Boys 


Girb 


Total 


Total. 


a6 


NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 


HIGH  SCHOOLS 

— ENROT.T.MF.NT 

tN  STUDIES 

AND 

FAILUKES  IN  EACH 

First  TERHf 

Sttjdies 
(Subjects  Running  More 
THAN  One  Year  Indi- 

Enrollment 

Repeaters 

Dropping 

Remaining 

Failures 

tage 
es 

imber 
inlng 

cated  D.  C.  B.  A.)* 

B. 

G. 

T. 

B. 

G. 

T. 

B. 

G. 

T. 

B. 

G. 

T. 

B. 

G. 

T. 

Percen 
Failui 
on  Ni 
Rema 

Latin 

D.    Latin 

C.    Latin 

B.    Latin 

A.    Latin 

German 

D.    German 

C.     German 

B.     German 

A.     German 

French 

B.    French 

A.    French 

Spanish 

B.    Spanish 

A.    Spanish 

Greek 

C.    Greek 

B.     Greek 

A.     Greek 

History 

American  history 
and  civics 

EngUsh  history. . . . 

Ancient  history .  .  . 

Mediaeval  and  mod- 
ern history 

Industrial  history. . 

Art  history  (Euro- 
pean)   

Art  history  (Ameri- 
can)   

Economics,      com- 
mercial law,  and 
local  industries . . 

1 

*  Other  studies  included,  but  not  listed  here,  are  English,  mathematics,  science,  drawing,  manual 
training,  industrial  activities,  commercial  activities,  physical  training,  and  music, 
t  The  same  forms  are  used  for  the  second  and  third  terms. 


GENERAL  INFORMATION 

A  page  devoted  to  this  subject  should  be  included  in  each  city  report. 
The  following  subheads  are  recommended: 
I.  Legal  basis: 

a)  Independent  district  or  city  government;  if  latter,  relation  of  edu- 
cation department  to  other  departments  of  the  municipal  government, 
especially  as  to  raising  of  money,  erection  of  buildings,  and  appointment 
of  members  of  board  of  education. 

b)  Method  of  voting  and  paying  bonds. 


COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS  27 

2.  Financial  basis: 

a)  Limits  of  taxation  and  bonded  indebtedness  for  school  purposes. 

b)  Assessed  valuation  of  independent  district  or  municipality. 

c)  What  percentage  of  true  valuation  is  the  assessed  valuation. 

d)  Present  tax  rates  for  schools. 

e)  Amount  of  bonded  indebtedness  for  schools. 

/)  Amount  of  local  school  tax  paid  by  owner  of  real  estate  whose  true 
valuation  is  $5,000. 

g)  Percentage  of  total  school  moneys  received  from  state,  county, 
municipality,  and  school  district. 

h)  Approximate  percentage  of  school  moneys  paid  by  business  corpora- 
tions not  owned  principally  by  citizens,  as  railroads  and  large  industrial, 
mining,  and  commercial  enterprises. 

3.  a)  Population  of  city  compared  with  population  of  four  preceding 
censuses. 

b)  Number  engaged  in  each  principal  class  of  occupation — agricultural, 
professional,  domestic  and  personal,  trade  and  transportation,  manu- 
facturing and  mechanical,  and  also  number  engaged  in  each  of  the  chief 
Occupations  that  are  represented  in  the  city  under  each  of  these  classes. 

4.  School  census: 

a)  Public-school  enrollment. 

b)  Private-school  enrollment. 

c)  Average  daily  attendance  based  on  number  belonging. 

d)  Average  daily  attendance  based  on  enrollment. 

e)  Average  daily  attendance  based  on  school  census. 

5.  Scope  of  system — number  of  different  kinds  of  schools,  classes,  and 
activities. 

6.  Organization  of  administration — relative  authority  and  duties  of 
superintendent,  assistant  superintendent,  supervisors,  principals,  teachers. 

7.  Percentage  of  teachers  appointed  from  outside  the  city. 

PUPIL  RECORDS 

The  foundation  of  all  statistics  concerning  pupils  is  established  in  the 
records  made  by  teachers  in  the  schoolroom.  Unless  these  records  are 
expressed  in  common  terms  having  a  definite  meaning  the  data  gathered 
from  them  are  not  comparable.  School  statistics  as  at  present  compiled 
and  compared  are  unreliable  and  of  little  value,  and  they  will  continue  to 
be  so  until  agreement  can  be  reached  not  only  as  to  terms  used  and  the 
definite  meaning  of  these  terms,  but  also,  to  some  extent,  as  to  the  method 
of  recording  and  arranging  the  original  data  upon  which  school  statistics 
are  based. 

The  first  work  of  the  committee  on  uniform  statistics  consisted  of  a 
careful  investigation  of  the  subject  of  school  records,  and  this  resulted  in 


a8  NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 

the  submission  of  an  elementary-school  record  system,  thru  the  co-operation 
of  the  United  States  commissioner  of  education,  to  school  superintendents 
thruout  the  country.  Altho  several  forms  were  offered  for  the  purpose  of 
getting  criticisms  and  suggestions  and  for  the  sake  of  illustrating  the  com- 
plete working  out  of  a  system  of  school  records,  chief  emphasis  was  laid  on 
the  cumulative  record  card  which  was  framed  to  serve  as  a  permanent  and 
progressive  record  of  the  pupil's  kindergarten  and  elementary  school 
career.  The  form  recommended  is  given  on  p.  586.  The  card  is  6  inches 
wide  and  4  inches  high.  Copies  may  be  obtained  from  the  Bureau  of 
Education. 

After  an  examination  of  more  than  500  replies  to  that  part  of  the 
commissioner's  circular  relating  to  a  cimiulative  record  card,  the  com- 
mittee finds  as  follows: 

1.  That  there  is  substantially  unanimous  assent  to  the  following  general  proposition: 
A  cumulative  record  card  should  be  kept  for  every  child  thruout  his  entire  kindergarten 

and  elementary-school  career. 

2.  That  suggestions  made  by  correspondents  have  not  shown  a  preponderance  of 
opinion  in  favor  of  any  specific  increase  or  decrease  in  either  the  size  or  content  of  the 
card. 

3.  That  in  view  of  those  conclusions  the  card  submitted  has  been  adopted  as  best 
representing  the  consensus  of  opinion  on  the  matter  of  a  cumulative  record  card,  and 
the  committee  recommends  the  general  use  of  this  card  or  one  in  substantial  agreement 
with  it  as  to  the  essential  facts  needed  for  statistical  data  and  school  administration. 

The  committee  desires  to  call  attention  to  the  following  suggestive 
list  of  uses  to  which  the  card  may  be  put: 

1.  Amount  of  attendance  of  individual  pupil  for  one  year. 

2.  Comparative  rates  of  progress  in  schools  having  seven-year,  eight-year,  or  nine- 
year  elementary  courses. 

3.  Classification  of  pupils  by  age  and  grade.  (Note  that  a  standard  date  for  comput- 
ing ages  is  established,  viz.,  September  i.) 

4.  Classification  of  pupils  for  enrollment  data: 

o)  Duplicate  enrollment  in  the  school. 

b)  From  other  public  schools  in  town  or  city. 

c)  From  other  public  schook  in  state. 

d)  Original  enrollment  from  all  other  sources. 

5.  Number  of  times  child  has  been  detained  in  a  grade. 

6.  Foreign  birth  as  affecting  progress. 

7.  Kindergarten  training  as  affecting  progress. 

8.  Attendance  in  other  schools  as  affecting  progress. 

9.  Absence  as  affecting  progress. 

10.  Numerous  inquiries  having  to  do  with  individual  school  management. 

Diverse  opinions  as  to  the  necessity  of  certain  items  on  the  "admis- 
sion, discharge,  and  promotion  card,"  as,  for  example,  item  "Conduct," 
are  not  necessarily  barriers  in  the  way  of  the  uniform  use  of  the  form  of 
card  recommended;  for  in  any  school  system  such  an  item  may  be  omitted 


COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS 


29 


Elebientary  School  Record  System — Promotion 
Record 

This  card  is  to  pass  from  teacher  to  teacher  or  from 
school  to  school  as  the  pupil  is  promoted  or  transferred. 
It  is  to  be  filled  out  and  sent  to  the  principal's  office 
when  any  change  is  made  requiring  a  change  in  the 
office  records.    It  is  then  to  be  sent  to  the  teacher 
who  has  the  pupil. 

(0) 
School 

(6) 
Date 

of 
Admis- 
sion 

(c) 
Age  Sept.  I 

id) 
Grade 

(e) 
Room 

(/) 
Days 
Pres- 
ent 

(«) 
Health 

(A) 

Con- 
duct 

(»■) 

Schol- 
arship 

- 

Yrs. 

Mas. 

. 

(over) 

(i)  I.  Last  name 

C2")    First  name  and  initial 

Elementary  School 

Record  System — 
Admission,      Dis- 
charge, and  Pro- 
motion Card 

(3)  Place  of  birth 

(4)  Date  of  birth 

(5)  Vaccinated . . 

To    be    kept    for 
every  pupil  and  sent 
with  the  pupil  when 
he  is  transferred  to 
any    school,    either 
public  or  private,  in 
the  city  or  outside 
the  city.    Great  care 
should   be   used    to 
have  the  names  com- 
plete and  correct. 

Write  all  dates  as 
follows:  191 2-9-25. 

(6)  Name  of  parent  or 
guardian 

(7)  Occupation  of  parent  or  guar- 
dian 

(8)  Residence  (Use  one  column  at  a  time.     Give  new 
residence  when  pupil  is  transferred.) 

(9)  Date  of 
discharge 

(10)  Age 

Yrs. 

Mos. 

When  a  pupil  is  permanently  discharged  to  work,  to  remain  at  home,  or  because 
of  death,  permanent  illness,  or  commitment  to  an  institution,  this  card  is  to  be 
returned  to  the  principal's  office  and  a  full  statement  of  the  cause  of  the  pupil's  dis- 
charge is  to  be  made  in  the  blank  space  remaining  above. 

30  NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 

by  direction  of  the  superintendent  or  left  optional  with  principals.    The 
value  of  a  uniform  card  lies  chiefly  in  three  considerations: 

1.  Universal  adaptability  for  use  in  whatever  system  of  schools  the  pupil  may  enter. 

2.  Decreased  cost  because  of  printing  in  large  quantities. 

3.  Establishment  of  common  practices  of  record-making  and  common  terms  for  the 
expression  of  facts  valuable  for  statistical  investigation. 

It  is  believed  that  any  general  record  card  recommended  for  universal 
adoption  should  not  include  a  detailed  statement  of  facts  needed  for  an 
adequate  study  of  individual  cases  of  physically  abnormal  and  retarded 
children.  For  such  a  purpose  a  special  form  should  be  used  providing  for 
yearly  records  of  defective  eye-sight,  hearing,  condition  of  teeth,  and  other 
physical  characteristics,  and  for  records  concerning  nutrition,  environment, 
specific  cases  of  illness,  special  aptitudes,  and  such  other  facts  as  are  likely 
to  be  desired.  The  exact  form  of  such  a  card  may  well  be  left  for  future 
consideration. 

The  general  cumulative  record  card  and  this  supplementary  card 
will  represent  the  minimum  and  maximum  requirements  of  the  individual 
cimiulative  record. 

The  daily  register  or  daily  summary  should  show  four  groups  of  admitted 
pupils  as  follows: 

a)  Pupils  previously  enrolled  during  the  year,  including  transfers,  within  the  school 
or  school  district.  (This  item  is  thrown  out  in  computing  the  number  of  different  pupils 
enrolled  during  the  year  in  a  given-school  or  district.) 

h)  Pupils  previously  enrolled  during  the  year  in  some  other  school  or  school  district 
in  the  town  or  city.  (This  item  is  thrown  out  in  computing  the  number  of  different  pupils 
enrolled  during  the  year  in  a  given  town  or  city.) 

c)  Pupils  previously  enrolled  during  the  year  in  other  towns  or  cities  in  the  state. 
(This  item  is  thrown  out  in  computing  the  number  of  different  pupils  enrolled  during 
the  year  in  a  given  state.) 

d)  Pupils  not  previously  enrolled  during  the  year  in  any  town  or  city  in  the  state. 
(These  are  original  enrollments  included  in  all  reports.) 

It  is  not  useful  to  attempt  a  classification  of  discharged  pupils  into 
four  groups  corresponding  exactly  to  the  four  groups  of  admitted  pupils. 
The  following  classification  is  suggested  as  a  desirable  one: 

a)  Pupils  temporarily  discharged,  and  transferred  within  the  school  or  school  district. 
h)  Pupils  transferred  to  any  other  school,  pubUc  or  private.     (Graduates  separately.) 

c)  Pupils  permanently  discharged  to  go  to  work.  (Schooling  discontinued  before 
completion  of  elementary-school  course.) 

d)  Pupils  discharged  for  other  reasons.  (A  relatively  small  number  whose  schooling 
is  discontinued  before  completion  of  .elementary-school  course  for  accidental  reasons.) 

More  important,  at  the  present  time,  than  forms  for  recording 
attendance  and  enrollment  data,  is  the  securing  of  a  common  terminology 
for  certain  conditions  of  attendance  and  enrollment.  The  following 
definitions  are  submitted  as  representative  of  the  best  practice: 


COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS  3 1 

1.  Age  and  Grade  Classification. — For  this  purpose  the  age  on  the  ist  day  of, 
September  should  be  used.  This  is  the  age  at  which,  approximately,  the  pupil  enters  upon 
the  work  of  a  new  grade.  There  are  good  reasons  for  taking  it  in  preference  to  January  i 
the  day  on  which  the  work  of  the  grade  is  partially  completed,  or  July  i,  the  approximate 
date  on  which  the  work  of  the  grade  is  finished.  It  is  commonly  used  in  school  census  enumera- 
tions, and  is  conveniently  near  the  time  at  which  a  great  majority  of  pupils  enter  school. 
If  once  recorded  on  the  "admission,  discharge,  and  promotion  card"  it  can  be  made  a  matter 
of  record  for  each  succeeding  year  with  practically  no  effort  and  with  little  likelihood  of  error. 

2.  Number  Enrolled. — It  is  generally  understood  that  this  item  means  the  number 
enrolled  exclusive  of  duplication,  in  whatever  school  unit  it  is  reported  for.  The  way  in 
which  this  number  may  be  ascertained  is  indicated  under  "enrollment  data,"  above. 

3.  Number  Belonging. — As  soon  as  a  pupil  is  known  to  have  left  the  school  without 
intention  to  return  he  ceases  at  once  to  belong  and  he  is  not  thereafter  included  in  the  number 
belonging.  If  absent  under  any  other  circumstances  he  is  carried  on  the  rolls  as  "belonging," 
and  marked  absent  for  three  consecutive  days  (or  until  he  returns  if  his  consecutive  absence 
is  less  than  three  days  in  duration).  He- is  "temporarily  discharged"  at  the  end  of  three 
consecutive  days  of  absence,  and  then  ceases  to  "belong"  until  he  returns  to  school  and  is 
"readmitted." 

A  period  of  three  days  is  suggested  as  the  limit  of  time  during  which  pupils  may  be 
counted  as  "  belonging,"  for  the  reason  that  it  is  believed  to  represent  the  common  practice  in 
a  majority  of  the  states. 

N.  B. — "Average  number  belonging"  means  the  same  as  "average  membership."  The 
average  number  belonging  is  found  by  the  same  process  as  the  average  attendance. 

4.  Average  Attendance. — The  average  daily  attendance  during  the  school  year  (which 
is  the  average  number  of  pupils  actually  present  each  day  the  schools  were  in  session)  may  be 
computed  as  follows: 

a)  For  a  single  school:  Add  together  the  number  of  days  each  pupil  was  present  during  the 
year  or  the  number  of  pupils  present  each  day  during  the  year,  and  divide  the  sum  {which  is  the 
"aggregate  attendance  in  days")  by  the  number  of  such  school  days. 

b)  For  a  group  of  schools  having  the  same  number  of  days  in  the  year  {as  the  schools  of 
most  cities  have):  Divide  the  combined  aggregate  attendance  in  days  of  all  the  schools  by  the 
number  of  days  in  the  school  year. 

c)  For  a  system  of  schools  having  different  lengths  of  school  year  {as,  for  instance,  those 
of  a  county):  Add  together  the  average  attendance  of  the  component  schools  and  groups  of  the 
system  as  ascertained  by  the  foregoing  rules.  For  larger  systems,  as  those  of  a  state,  the 
summing-up  process  is  continued  in  the  same  way. 

Note. — In  systems  of  schools  where  monthly  reports  of  attendance  are  called  for  the 
general  principles  of  (a),  {b),  and  (c),  above,  apply  to  the  finding  of  monthly  averages.  The 
sum  of  the  monthly  averages  of  attendance  in  the  schools  of  most  cities,  divided  by  the  number  of 
months,  is  approximately  the  same  as  the  average  attendance  for  the  year  found  by  the  methods 
given  above. 

5.  Average  Number  of  Days  in  the  School  Year. — In  a  school  system  having 
different  lengths  of  school  year  in  its  various  units  [as  in  (c),  above],  the  average  number  of 
days  in  the  school  year  is  found  by  dividing  the  combined  "aggregate  attendance  in  days" 
of  all  schools  of  the  system  by  the"  average  attendance ' '  as  ascertained  by  the  method  given  in  (c) . 

6.  Distributed  Attendance. — Distributed  attendance  is  the  attendance  of  individual 
pupils  distributed  by  groups  according  to  the  number  of  days  they  have  attended  school  during 
the  year. 

A  record  of  the  number  of  days  attended  by  each  pupil  during  the  year  is  provided  for  on 
the  "admission,  discharge,  and  promotion  card,"  and  it  is  believed  that  such  a  record,  if 
generally  kept,  will  prove  to  be  of  great  interest  and  value  in  measuring  school  efficiency. 


32  NA  TIONA L  EDUCA  TION  ASSOCIA  TION 

FISCAL  STATISTICS 

In  order  to  determine  the  cost  of  any  particular  part  of  our  system  of 
education,  it  is  necessary  not  only  to  have  adequate  statistics  concerning 
pupils  and  teachers,  but  also  a  report  of  fiscal  statistics  differentiated,  not 
only  with  regard  to  the  purpose  for  which  money  is  spent,  but  also  with 
regard  to  the  special  types  of  schools  which  are  found  in  a  given  city. 
The  form  of  report  recommended  by  the  committee  provides  for  such 
dififerentiation  as  will  enable  anyone  to  make  adequate  comparisons  among 
the  several  cities  of  the  United  States,  and  at  the  same  time  calls  for  a 
system  of  accounts  which  will  make  it  possible  to  discover  the  cost  of 
particular  types  of  schools  within  the  system  itself. 

The  form  which  follows  was  agreed  upon  by  a  committee  of  representa- 
tives from  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Education,  the  Census  Office,  the 
Association  of  School  Accounting  Officers,  and  the  Committee  on  Uniform 
Records  and  Reports  of  the  Department  of  Superintendence.  This  schedule 
for  reporting  fiscal  statistics  is  the  one  now  sent  out  by  the  United  States 
Bureau  of  Education.     It  is  as  follows: 


COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS 


33 


A.    PAYMENTS 
I.    Expenses  (Cost  of  Conducting  School  System) 


Total 

Salaries 

Other 
Objects 

Expenses  of  General  Control  {Overhead  Charges) 
'  I.  Board  of  education  and  secretary's  office 

2.  School  elections  and  school  census 

• 

^  3.  Finance  offices  and  accounts 
''  4.  Legal  services 

1 

5.  Operation  and  maintenance  of  office  buil( 

6.  Offices  in  charge  of  buildings  and  supplie 

ling 

s 

1 

7.  Office  of  superintendent  of  schools 

8.  Enforcement  of  compulsory  educa 

tion  and  truancv 

laws                  1 

9.  Other  expenses  of  general  co 

ntrol 

10.          Total     

Total 

ScHOoi-s  AND  Special  Activities 

Day 

Schools 

Evening 
Schools 

1 

.£3 
u 
CO 

(3 

V 

i 

Is 

•3 
% 

CO 

I 

c« 

-  0 
S  o.S 

g.SP 

1 

a 

1 

.a 

< 
.•3 

1 

Expenses  of  Instruction 

II.  Salaries    of    supervisors    of 
grades  and  subjects 

12.  Other    expenses    of    super- 
visors   

13.  Salaries    of    principals    and 
their  clerks 

14.  Other  expenses  of  principals 

15.  Salaries  of  teachers 

16.  Textbooks 

17.  Stationery  and  supplies  used 
in  instruction 

18.  Other  expenses  of  instruction 

19.      Total 

Expenses  of  Operation  of 
School  Plant 

20.  Wages  of  janitors  and  other 
employees 

21.  Fuel 

22.  Water 

23.  Light  and  power 

24.  Janitor's  supplies 





25.  Other  expenses  of  operation 
of  school  plant 

26.          Total 

34 


NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 


A.    PAYMENTS— CoM/twMcd 
I.    Expenses  (Cost  or  Co>fDucnNG  School  System) — Continued 


Total 

Schools  and  Speoal  AcrivrriEs 

Day 
Schools 

Evening 
Schools 

1 

g 
1 

i, 

3 

C 

Is 

1 

I 
in 

' 

Su.E 
3-^ 

a 
B 

1 

:| 
1 

1 

Expenses  of  Maintenance 
of  School  Plant 

27.  Repair    of    buildings    and 
upkeep  of  grounds 

28.  Repair  and  replacement  of 
equipment 

29.  Insurance 

30.  Other  expenses  of  mainte- 
nance of  school  plant .... 

31.          Total 

Expenses  of  Auxiliary 
Agencies 

LIBRARIES 

32.  Salaries 

33.  Books 

34.  Other  expenses 

PROMOTION   or  HEALTH 

35.  Salaries 

36.  Other  expenses 

TRANSPORTATION  OF  PUPILS 

37.  Salaries 

, 

38.  Other  expenses 

xa.          Total 

Miscellaneous  Expenses 

40.  Payments  to  private  schools 

41.  Payments  to  schools  of  other 

civil  divisions 

42.  Care  of  children  in  institu- 
tions   

43.  Pensions 

AA.  Rent 

45.  Other  miscellaneous 

expenses 

46.          Total       .           ... 

COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS 


35 


A.  PAYMENTS— Con/i«Me(i 
II.    Outlays  (Capital  Acquisition  and  Construction) 


47.  Land 

48.  New  buildings 

49.  Alteration  of  old  buildings.  . 

50.  Equipment  of  new  buildings 
and  grounds 

51.  Equipment  of  old  buildings, 
exclusive  of  replacements . 

52.          Total 

III.  Other  Payments 


53.  Redemption  of  bonds 

54.  Redemption  of  short-term  loans 

55.  Payment  of  warrants  and  orders  of  preceding  year 

56.  Payments  to  sinking  funds 

57.  Payments  of  interest 

58.  Miscellaneous  payments,  including  payments  to  trust  funds,  text- 

books to  be  sold  to  pupils,  etc 


59.  Total 

60.  Balances  at  close  of  year  at . 


61. 


Total  payments  and  balances . 


B.  RECEIPTS 
Revenue  Receipts 


62. 
63. 

64. 

65. 
66. 
67. 

68. 
69. 

70. 

71- 
72. 

73- 
74- 


Subventions  and  grants  from  state $ . 

Subventions  and  grants  from  county 

Subventions  and  grants  from  other  civil  divisions 

Appropriations  from  city  treasury 

General  property  taxes 

Business  taxes  (licenses,  excise  taxes,  taxes  on  corporations,  taxes  on 

occupations,  etc.) 

Poll  taxes 

Fines  and  penalties 

Rents  and  interest 

Tuition  and  other  fees  from  patrons 

Transfers  from  other  districts  in  payment  of  tuition 

All  other  revenue 


Total  revenue  receipts . 


Non-Revenue  Receipts 


Loans  and  bond  sales $ . 

Warrants  issued  and  unpaid 

Sales  of  real  property  and  proceeds  of  insurance  adjustments 

Sales  of  equipment  and  supplies 

Refund  of  payments . 


75- 
76. 

77- 
78. 

79- 

80.  Other  non-revenue  receipts 

81.  Total  non-revenue  receipts. 


82.  Total  receipts 

83.  Balances  at  beginning  of  year. 


84. 


Total  receipts  and  balances. 


36 


NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 


C.  VALUE  OF  SCHOOL  PROPERTIES 


Class  of  Buildings 

Total  Value 
of  Sites, 
]3uildings, 

and 
Equipment 

Value  of 
Sites  and 
Buildings 

Value  of 
Equipment 

Interest  on 

Value 

of  School 

Plant 

General  control 

Elementary  schools 

Secondary  schools 

Normal  schools 

Schools  for  the  industries 

Special  schools 

DEFINITIONS   OF   TERMS   USED  IN   THE   SCHEDULE  FOR  REPORTING 
THE  FISCAL  STATISTICS   OF   CITIES 


Total. — Under  this  heading  include  the  sum  of  all  figures  in  the  columns 
to  the  right,  these  columns  to  contain  no  duplicates. 

Schools  for  the  industries. — Include  only  those  schools  which  offer 
training  in  specific  vocations.  Do  not  include  those  schools  in  which 
instruction  in  hand  training  is  offered  with  a  general  educational  aim,  as, 
for  example,  the  prevailing  type  of  manual-training  high  school. 

Special  schools. — Include  schools  for  blind,  deal,  feeble-minded,  delin- 
quents, dependents,  etc. 

Special  activities. — ^Include  lectures,  playgrounds,  social  centers,  etc. 

ITEMS 

School  year. — Report  data  for  the  school  year  instead  of  the  fiscal  year 
when  they  conflict,  if  this  is  possible  without  much  additional  labor. 

Net  payments  and  receipts  only  to  be  reported. — ^The  receipts  and  pay- 
ments to  be  reported  must  in  all  cases  be  net;  i.e.,  the  receipts  must  always 
show  the  total  amounts  received  from  all  sources  less  any  amounts  received 
in  error  and  later  corrected  by  refund  payments;  and  the  payments  must 
always  show  the  total  amounts  paid  for  the  different  objects  less  any 
amounts  paid  in  error  and  later  corrected  by  refund  receipts. 


Item  6.  Offices  in  charge  of  buildings  and  supplies. — Divide  this  item 
into  two  parts  when  possible,  placing  upon  the  first  dotted  line  expenses 
of  "offices  in  charge  of  buildings,"  including  those  having  charge  of  the 
construction  and  maintenance  of  physical  properties,  such  as  superintendent 
of  buildings,  school  architects,  inspector  oi  buildings,  superintendent  of 
repairs,  and  schoolhouse  comn^ission.  Payments  to  special  employees 
engaged  exclusively  on  new  work  should  be  charged  to  outlays.  Opposite 
"offices  in  charge  of  supplier"  upon  the  second  line,  report  expenses  of  the 
offices  of  superintendent  of  supplies,  business  manager,  or  other  officers 
whose  duties  are  concerned  with  the  purchase  and  distribution  of  supplies- 


COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS  37 

Item  7.  Office  of  superintendent  of  schools. — Include  all  payments  for 
salaries  and  expenses  of  the  superintendent  of  schools  and  of  those  subordi- 
nate administrative  ofl5cers  whose  duties  are  largely  administrative  and  who 
are  not  primarily  supervisors  of  instruction,  such  as  assistant  superintendent 
and  board  of  examiners.     See  Item  11. 

Item  8.  Enforcement  of  compulsory-education  and  truancy  laws. — 
Include  salaries  and  oflSce  expenses  of  truant  ofl5cers  and  police  officers 
detailed  as  truant  officers  if  paid  out  of  school  fund.  (Payments  for 
expenses  of  truant  and  parental  schools  should  not  be  entered  here,  but  in 
column  headed  "Special  Schools.") 

Item  II.  Salaries  of  supervisors  of  grades  and  subjects. — ^Include  salaries 
of  assistant  superintendents  whose  duties  are  mainly  connected  with  the 
supervision  of  instruction  and  of  supervisors  of  special  subjects  and  of 
grades,  including  only  those  who  devote  half  or  more  than  half  of  their 
time  to  supervision.    Include  also  the  salaries  of  clerks  of  such  officers. 

In  case  an  employee  renders  service  in  more  than  one  kind  of  school  in 
the  same  capacity,  as  that  of  a  supervisor,  prorate  his  salary,  clerk  hire, 
and  other  expenses  between  the  different  kinds  of  schools  according  to  the 
amount  of  time  devoted  by  him  to  each,  charging  the  expense  to  the  same 
account  under  each  kind  of  school. 

In  case  an  employee  performs  one  function  in  one  kind  of  school  and 
another  function  in  another  kind  of  school,  as  that  of  supervisor  in  the 
elementary  schools  and  that  of  teacher  in  the  secondary  schools,  charge 
his  salary,  clerk  hire,  and  other  expenses  to  the  accounts  corresponding  to 
the  function  to  which  he  gives  the  major  portion  of  his  time  (if  his  time  is 
evenly  divided,  to  the  higher  function,  as  supervisor)  and  to  the  kind  of 
school  in  which  he  exercises  such  function. 

Item  I  J.  Salaries  of  principals. — This  item  includes  supervising  princi- 
pals, principals  of  groups  and  districts,  and  principals  of  buildings  or 
similar  units,  including  only  those  persons  devoting  half  or  more  than 
half  of  their  time  to  administration  and  supervision  of  instruction. 

Item  ij.  Teachers. — Include  all  regular,  special,  and  model  teachers  who 
devote  more  than  half  of  their  time  to  instruction. 

Item  16.  Textbooks. — Include  only  the  payments  for  free  textbooks 
furnished  the  pupils.  The  payments  for  textbooks  purchased  to  sell  to 
pupils  should  be  reported  under  Item  58. 

Item  ly.  Supplies. — Supplies  are  those  things  which  when  once  used 
are  actually  or  constructively  consumed,  including  such  items  as  writing- 
paper,  drawing-paper,  blank  books,  pencils,  pens,  adhesives,  fasteners, 
carbon  paper,  rubber  stamps,  supplies  for  typewriter,  and  other  mechanical 
office  or  school  devices;  magazines,  newspapers,  and  other  printed  matter 
for  current  use;  textbooks  (for  students,  not  purchased  for  library);  test 
tubes,  litmus  paper,  filter  paper;  polishing  and  abrading  supplies;  brooms 
and   scrub   brushes;    drugs,   chemicals,   cleansers;    laboratory   supplies; 

.W1905 


38  NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 

wearing-apparel;  food  supplies;  flags;  recreational  supplies,  etc.  Include 
also  freight  and  cartage  of  such  items.  Supplies  used  in  instruction  should 
be  included  under  Item  17;  those  used  in  operation  of  plant,  under  Item 
24.    See  also  definition  of  equipment,  Item  50. 

Item  18. — Other  expenses  of  instruction. — ^These  items  include  other 
expenses  incident  to  instruction,  as  rent  of  halls  for  graduation  exercises, 
diplomas,  etc. 

Item  21.  Fuel. — Include  also  freight,  cartage,  and  weighing  charges. 

Item  24.  Janitor^s  supplies. — See  Item  17. 

Item  27.  Repair  of  buildings  and  upkeep  of  grounds. — Include  pay- 
ments for  labor  and  materials  incident  to  the  repair  of  buildings,  including 
painting,  glazing,  and  of  plimibing,  lighting,  heating,  and  ventilation 
equipment,  and  all  pa)anents  for  labor  and  materials  incident  to  keeping 
the  grounds  in  normal  condition. 

Item  28.  Repairs  and  replacement  of  equipment. — For  definition  of 
equipment  see  Items  50  and  51. 

Items  32,  33,  and  34.  Library  expenses. — Pajonents  for  these  expenses 
should  be  distributed  according  to  the  kind  of  school.  Payments  by  school 
authorities  for  the  maintenance  of  libraries  used  principally  by  the  general 
public  and  not  exclusively  by  the  schools  should  be  reported  under  "Special 
Activities." 

Items  35  and  36.  Promotion  of  health. — Report  all  payments  for 
general  promotion  of  health  and  distribute  them  among  the  various  kinds 
of  schools  and  educational  activities  as  far  as  possible.  Among  the  expenses 
that  should  be  distributed  to  the  different  kinds  of  schools  and  special 
activities  are  "supervisors  of  physical  training,"  "care  and  upkeep  of  play- 
grounds," etc.  Payments  for  offices  of  directors  and  other  overhead 
charges  should  be  reported  on  the  margin  or  on  separate  sheet  under  proper 
heads,  as  "clinic,"  etc. 

Items  40  and  42.  Payments  to  private  schools  and  institutions. — Report 
all  payments  by  the  school  system  to  private  schools  and  institutions  for 
the  care  and  instruction  of  children  in  schools  and  institutions  other  than 
those  belonging  to  the  school  system.  These  payments  should  be 
distributed  as  called  for  by  the  wording  of  the  two  lines,  according  to  the 
kind  of  school  or  institution  in  which  the  children  are  kept;  if  in  a  day 
school  or  night  school  they  should  be  given  in  the  columns  for  such  schools; 
while  if  in  an  institution  furnishing  board  and  clothing  they  should  be 
placed  in  the  column  for  special  schools. 

Item  44.  Rent. — Charges  for  rent  of  offices  used  by  the  general  adminis- 
tration should  be  reported  under  Item  8. 

Items  47-51.  Outlays. — Under  "Outlays"  report  payments  for  lands, 
new  buildings,  new  equipment,  additions  to  buildings,  or  extensive  altera- 
tions that  materially  change  and  improve  the  buildings,  classifying  these 
payments  as  called  for  by  these  items.    Include  with  payments  for  land  all 


COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS  39 

costs  of  acquiring  title,  original  grading,  and  improvements  to  the  grounds, 
artesian  wells,  etc.  Include  with  payments  for  new  buildings,  architects' 
fees,  advertising  for  contracts,  payments  on  contracts  for  construction, 
installation  of  plumbing,  lighting,  heating,  and  ventilation  equipment,  etc. 

All  reports  of  payments  for  new  equipment  for  general  administration 
oflSces  and  all  reports  of  payments  for  the  acquisition,  construction,  or 
equipment  of  new  buildings  for  the  general  administration  should  be 
reported  in  a  column  marked  "Administration"  on  the  margin  or  on  an 
extra  sheet. 

Items  50-51.  Equipment. — All  things  other  than  buildings,  fences, 
and  similar  structures  which  are  adapted  to  continuous  use  for  increasing 
the  efl&ciency  or  economy  of  human  effort,  including  motors,  power-operated 
machinery  and  accessories,  hand  tools,  clocks,  pianos,  window  shades, 
laboratory  apparatus,  furniture  and  furnishings,  desks,  globes,  maps,  charts, 
and  typewriters,  blackboards,  except  when  included  in  contract  for  new 
buildings,  wagons,  harness,  and  other  things  used  in  transportation,  fire- 
fighting  apparatus,  including  hose,  extinguishers,  etc.  (For  convenience, 
lighting,  plumbing,  heating,  and  ventilating  equipment  are  considered  as 
part  of  the  building.) 

Item  58.  Miscellaneous  payments. — Include  also  any  excess  of  the 
amount  paid  for  supplies  purchased  for  a  storeroom  over  the  amount  issued 
on  requisition,  and  expenses  for  school  lunchrooms  carried  on  by  school 
funds. 

RECEIPTS 

Items  62-64.  Subventions  and  grants. — Include  all  subventions  and 
grants  whether  obtained  from  income  from  state  funds,  from  leases  of 
school  lands,  from  appropriations,  or  from  general  property,  business  or  poll 
taxes,  or  from  fines  and  penalties. 

Item  65.  Appropriations  from  city  treasury. — School  systems  that  are 
administered  as  departments  of  the  city  government  will  report  after  Item 
65  the  aggregate  appropriations  from  the  city  treasury  for  the  use  of  school 
systems  less  any  amounts  that  are  derived  from  specific  sources  and  are 
used  exclusively  for  specific  school  purposes.  These  generally  include 
amounts  that  for  independent  school  districts  would  be  reported  after 
Inquiries  62,  63,  64,  71,  72,  and,  in  some  cases,  66.  All  amounts  deducted 
as  above  directed  from  the  aggregate  appropriations  should  be  reported 
on  these  lines  as  in  the  case  of  independent  school  districts. 

Item  78.  Sales  of  equipment  and  supplies. — Include  receipts  from 
sale  of  textbooks  and  supplies  to  pupils;  also  any  excess  of  the  amount  of 
supplies  issued  on  requisition  from  a  storeroom  over  the  amount  paid  for 
supplies;  also  receipts  from  lunchrooms  carried  on  by  school  funds,  from 
admission  to  public  entertainments,  etc. 


40 


NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 


DEFINITIONS  OF  FISCAL  ITEMS  IN  THE  SCHEDULE  FOR  STATE  SYSTEMS  AND  IN 
THE  ABRIDGED  FISCAL   SCHEDULE  FOR  CITIES 

The  definitions  of  the  items  in  the  standard  fiscal  schedule  for  cities 
apply  to  the  same  items  in  the  standard  schedule  for  state  systems  and  in 
the  abridged  city  schedule,  but  many  of  the  items  in  the  last  two  are  com- 
binations of  one  or  more  items  in  the  first  schedule.  A  table  is  given  below 
showing  how  this  combination  has  been  made.  In  order  to  ascertain  the 
kinds  of  expenses  that  should  be  charged  to  any  item  in  either  of  the  last 
two  schedules  the  definitions  of  all  the  items  in  the  standard  schedule  which 
were  combined  in  order  to  make  the  item  should  be  consulted.  Thus,  to 
determine  the  expenses  to  be  charged  to  Item  lo  in  the  abridged  schedule  for 
cities,  the  definition  for  Items  22,  23,  24,  and  25  in  the  standard  schedule 
must  be  followed,  as  is  indicated  in  the  following  table.  Similarly,  the 
expenses  to  be  charged  to  286  in  the  state  schedule  are  given  in  definitions 
of  Items  21  to  25,  inclusive. 


TABLE  SHOWING  MANNER  OF  "TELESCOPING"    ITEMS  OF  STANDARD 
FISCAL  SCHEDULE  INTO  ITEMS  OF  OTHER  SCHEDULES 


SUte  Schedule 

Abridged  City  Schedule 

standard  City  Schedule 

/  I 

I  2 

26a 

X 

)3 
)4 

\6 

26b  I 

26c  s 

2 

(3 

27  a 

I 

ii3 

(14 

27b 

5 

IS 

(6 

z6 

27c 

I 

!  ^7 
(18 

28a 

8 

20 

/9 

21 
22 

286 

1 

23 

I  ^° 

24      . 

25 

29 

II 

27 
28 
29 

\30 

COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS 


41 


TABLE  SHOWING  MANNER  OF  "TELESCOPING"  ITEMS  OF  [STANDARD 
FISCAL  SCHEDULE  INTO  ITEMS  OF  OTHER  SCHEDULES— Conimweti 


State  Schedule 

Abridged  City  Schedule 

Standard  City  Schedule 

(32 

30a 

12 

J33 
(34 

30b 

13 

I36 

30c 

14 

(37 

/40 
\4i 

31 

IS 

/42 

)43 
(  44 

\4S 

(47 

32 

17 

J  48 
(49 

?5i 

33 

18 

53 

• 

34 

21 

54 

55 

\56 

35 

20 

57 

22 

58 

25 

62 

26 

63 

27 

64              / 

28 

65 

29 

66 

30 

67 

31 

68 

32 

69 

33 

70 

34 

71 

35 

72 

36 

73 

38 

Ws 

U6 

39 

W7 
(78 

40 

?8o 

Progress  in  the  field  of  school  records  and  reports  will  be  made  possible 
by  the  co-operation  of  superintendents  thruout  the  United  States  with  the 
Bureau  of  Education  and  with  the  committee  of  this  department,  should 
such  a  committee  be  permanently  appointed.  The  discussion  of  this  com- 
mittee and  the  forms  which  are  submitted  herewith  have  the  advantage  of 
having  been  formulated  after  a  careful  study  of  records  and  reports  which 


42  NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 

are  at  present  in  use  in  our  various  school  systems.  That  they  may  be 
improved  upon  is  fully  realized  by  those  who  have  contributed  to  the  dis- 
cussion and  investigation  which  has  led  to  the  formulation  of  this  report. 

Payson  Smith,  Chairman 
George  Drayton  Strayer,  Secretary 
William  H.  Elson 
E.  C.  Warriner 
Charles  M.  Lamprey 

blank  forms  recommended  to  accompany  the  report  of  the  committee 
on  uniform  records  and  reports 

The  following  sample  forms  are  submitted  as  models  for  use  of  teachers 
in  keeping  the  daily  register,  in  making  monthly  reports  to  the  principal, 
and  for  the  use  of  the  principal  in  making  the  monthly  report  to  the  superin- 
tendent. The  forms  submitted  represent  the  minimum  requirement. 
Space  is  found  on  both  the  teacher's  monthly  report  blank  and  the  princi- 
pal's monthly  report  for  additional  local  data  which  may  be  required  in 
any  school  system.  The  recommended  forms  printed  on  the  following 
pages  are  these: 

Form  I. — Directions  to  the  teacher  for  keeping  the  daily  register. 
These  directions  are  to  be  printed  on  the  title-page  of  the  register,  a  sample 
of  which  is  herewith  submitted  as  a  separate  exhibit.  The  symbols  sug- 
gested to  be  used  in  marking  attendance  and  tardiness  are  of  course  arbi- 
trary, but  these  are  suggested  as  simple.  They  also  have  the  advantage 
of  making  it  easy  to  turn  a  supposed  absent  mark  into  a  tardy  mark. 

Form  II. — ^Teacher's  monthly  report  to  the  principal.  The  explana- 
tion printed  at  the  bottom  of  the  sample  submitted  may  be  omitted  in 
actual  practice  and  this  space  used  for  local  items. 

Form  III. — Principal's  monthly  report  to  the  superintendent.  This  is 
printed  as  a  half  sheet  leaving  sufficient  room  for  special  data  called  for 
in  any  given  system  of  schools. 

FORM  I 

Register  of  Daily  Attendance  in School  in  the 

of ,   State  of for  the beginning 

191 . . .  and  ending 191 ....  Grade 

Teacher. 

DIRECTIONS  TO   THE  TEACHER 

1.  Fill  in  the  heading  of  the  register  with  the  appropriate  words  for  city,  village,  district, 
year,  term,  etc. 

2.  Write  the  days  of  the  month  in  the  blank  spaces  above  the  letters  which  indicate  the 
days  of  the  week. 

3.  Enroll  boys  and  girls  separately. 

4.  Age  should  always  be  given  as  of  September  i,  preceding  the  date  of  enrollment. 


COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS 


43 


5.  Pupils  admitted  (or  enrolled)  in  the  school  fall  within  one  of  four  classes,  viz.: 

a)  Readmitted  after  temporary  discharge,  or  admitted  by  transfer  from  another  room 
in  the  same  school. 

b)  Admitted  by  transfer  from  another  public  school  in  the  same  city  or  system. 

c)  Admitted  by  transfer  from  a  public  school  in  another  city  or  system  in  the  same 
state. 

d)  Original  enrollments  from  all  sources — pupils  not  previously  enrolled  in  any  public 
school  in  the  state  during  the  current  school  year. 

6.  Pupils  discharged  fall  within  one  of  four  classes,  viz.: 

e)  Temporarily  dropped  (a  pupil  is  temporarily  dropped  after  an  absence  of  j  consecu- 
tive days). 

/)  Transferred  to  any  other  school,  public  or  private,  or  to  another  room  in  the  same 

school, 
g)  Permanently  withdrawn  to  work,  or  because  of  having  passed  the  compulsory 

school  age. 
h)  Permanently  withdrawn  for  any  other  reason — death,  commitment  to  an  institu- 
tion, etc. 
N.B. — The  admission  (enrollment)  or  discharge  of  a  pupil  is  to  be  indicated  by  writing 
the  letter  a,  b,  c,  d,  e,  /,  g,  or  h,  according  to  the  definitions  given  above,  in  the  space  for 
the  day  and  session  in  the  daily  register  when  said  admission  (enrollment)  or  discharge 
occurs. 


Absent  a.m. 
Absent  p.m. 
Absent  All  Day 


SYMBOLS   TO    BE   USED 

n    i 


Tardy  a.m. 
Tardy  p.m. 


□ 


FORM  II 
.Public  Schools.    Teacher's  Monthly  Report  to  the  Principal 


School '. Sessions  Month  of 191 .. . 

Boys  Girls  Total 
III.'  Number  belonging  on  the  last  school  day  of  last  month  (Item  III 
on  last  month's  report) 


o)  Readmissions  and  other  duplicate  enrollments 
within  the  school 


b)  From  other  public  schools  in  the  city . 


c)  From  public  schools  in  the  state  outside  of  the 
city. 

d)  Original  enrollment  from  all  other  sources 


Boys 

Girls  Total 

44 


NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 


I.  Total  number  admitted.     (The  sum  of  a,  b,  c,  and  d) 

Boys  Girls  ToUl 


e)  Temporarily  dropped . 


/)  Transferred  to  another  school  or  room . . . . 

g)  Permanently  withdrawn  to  work 

h)  Permanently  withdrawn  for  other  reasons . 


II.  Total  number  discharged.     (The  sum  of  e,  f,  g,  and  h) 

in.  Number  belonging  at  the  end  of  this  month.     (Ill' +1— II) 

Boys  Girls  Total 

2.'  Total  number  belonging  (Total  for  all  sessions) 


3.'  Total  number  present    (Total  for  all  sessions) 


4.'  Total  number  absent     (Total  for  all  sessions) 
5.'  Total  number  tardy       (Total  for  all  sessions) 


The  above  totals  are  to  be  used  by  the  principal  in  finding  attendance  data  for  the  school. 
(See  Principal's  Report.) 

If  desired  for  any  purpose  the  average  for  the  room  may  be  found  and  recorded  as  indi- 
cated below.    . 

Boys  Girls  Total 


2.  Average  number  belonging  (2' 4-  the  number  of  sessions) . 

3.  Average  number  present      (3' -5-  the  number  of  sessions). 

4.  Average  number  absent       (4'-7-  the  number  of  sessions) . 


IV.  Per  cent  of  attendance  (3' -7- 2') % 

V.  Per  cent  of  absence       (4'-^2') % 

2'  =  3'-l-4'  2  =  3+4  IV-f-V  =  100  per  cent.  (These  checks  should  be  applied 
before  handing  in  report.) 

Explanation:  Items  a,  b,  c,  d,  e,  f,  g,  h  are  to  be  obtained  by  counting  the  number 
of  pupils  recorded  under  each  item  according  to  "Directions  to  Teachers"  accompanying 
the  Daily  Register. 

Items  2',  3',  4',  5'  may  be  summarized  daily  on  the  last  four  lines  of  the  Register. 

It  is  advised  that  pupils  be  admitted  or  discharged  only  for  whole  days,  i.e.,  in  the 
morning.  The  number  of  pupils  belonging  for  the  day  will  then  be  doubled  to  get  the 
number  belonging  for  both  sessions.  This  number  minus  the  number  of  absences  for 
both  sessions  will  agree  with  the  number  present  for  both  sessions. 

These  daily  summaries,  added,  give  the  totals  required  for  2',  3',  4',  5'.  Totals  2', 
3',  4',  each  divided  by  the  whole  number  of  sessions  for  the  month,  give  the  averages 

2.3,4- 

(This  explanation  would  be  omitted  from  regular  form,  and  the  space  used  for  addi- 
tional items  that  might  be  of  local  significance.) 


Teacher 


COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS 


45 


FORM  III 


Public  Schools 


Principal's  Monthly  Report  to  the  Superintendent 

Sessions      Month  of 191 ... . 

Boys  Girls  Total 


III'   Number  belonging  on  the  last  school  day  of  last  month 

Boys  Girls  Total 


a)  Readmissions  and  other  dupUcate  enrollments 
within  the  school. 


b)  From  other  public  schools  in  the  city. 

c)  From  public  schools  in  the  state  outside  of  the 
city. 

d)  Original  enrollment  from  all  other  sources. 

I.  Total  number  admitted  (the  sum  of  a,  b,  c,  and  d). 

e)  Temporarily  dropped. 

/)  Transferred  to  another  school  or  from  one 
room  to  another. 

g)  Permanently  Withdrawn  to  work. 

A)  Permanently  withdrawn  for  other  reasons. 


Boys 

Girls  Total 

II.  Total  nimiber  discharged  (the  sum  of  e,  f,  g,  and  h). 
III.  Number  belonging  at  the  end  of  this  month  (III'+I— II). 

attendance  record 

The  sums  of  2',  3',  4'  respectively  on  the  teachers'  monthly  reports,  divided  by  the 
number  of  sessions,  give  the  required  averages. 


3.  Average  number  belonging 

3.  Average  attendance 

4.  Average  absence 

S'  Total  number  tardy 


Kindergarten 

Other  Grades 

Boys 

Girls 

Total 

Boys 

Girls 

Total 

Principal 


46  NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 

DISCUSSION 

Payson  Smith,  state  superintendent  of  public  schools,  Augusta,  Me. — From  this 
convention  the  members  will  return  to  their  several  fields  of  labor  bearing  new  inspiration, 
new  ideals,  new  methods,  new  plans.  There  will  not  be  lacking,  either,  the  opportunity 
to  carry  with  them  new  sets  of  figures  quoted  here  to  substantiate  every  shade  of  educa- 
tional opinion. 

A  saving  grace  of  our  school  statistics  at  present  lies  in  their  extreme  flexibility. 
They  may  be  utilized  to  prove  whatever  premise  one  chooses  for  the  moment  to  adopt. 
The  fear  persists  therefore  that  educational  statistics  will  not  constitute  a  large  part  of  the 
mental  impedimenta  of  the  return  journey. 

To  the  credit  of  our  platform,  exponents  of  education  let  me  hasten  to  say  that  by 
common  consent  they  have  adopted  into  their  current  phraseology  such  conscience- 
satisfying,  resf>onsibiUty-dodging  introductions  as  "it  is  said  that"  or  "someone  has 
estimated"  or  most  commonly  "according  to  a  recent  school  report  we  learn." 

To  record  the  conviction  of  the  Department  of  Superintendence  that  reliability  is 
not  an  impossible  ideal  of  school  statistics  and  to  assist  in  estabUshing  methods  that  will 
insure  such  reliability,  the  Committee  on  Uniform  School  Records  and  Statistics  was 
authorized  in  1910.  The  preliminary  report  of  this  committee  was  made  at  Mobile  last 
year  by  the  secretary,  Dr.  Strayer. 

Herewith  in  the  several  documents  placed  in  your  hands  today  the  committee  begs 
to  submit  its  final  report. 

In  the  making  of  this  report,  it  is  appropriate  to  say,  at  this  time,  that  your  committee 
has  had  from  the  first  the  cordial  co-operation  of  the  Bureau  of  Education,  former  Com- 
missioner Brown  and  Commissioner  Claxton  having  personally  attended  the  meetings. 
Dr.  Updegraff  of  the  bureau  has  kept  in  closest  personal  touch  with  the  work  of  the 
committee  and  has  given  invaluable  assistance  to  it. 

Moreover,  I  desire  to  acknowledge  appreciatively  for  the  committee  the  service  the 
superintendents  of  the  country  have  rendered  thru  the  painstaking  care  they  have  taken 
in  examining  the  various  forms  submitted  for  their  approval  and  suggestion.  Indeed  it 
is  fair  to  say  that  the  report  before  you  represents  not  alone  the  work  of  the  committee  and 
of  the  bureau,  but  is  a  collaboration  of  these  with  members  of  the  Department  of  Super- 
intendence and  of  school  officers  thruout  the  country. 

The  presentation  of  the  report  this  morning  is  the  joint  production  of  the  members 
of  the  committee  who  are  present.  My  part,  which  I  promise  you  shall  be  brief,  will  be 
to  indicate  the  general  survey  of  the  field  attempted  to  be  covered.  Others  will  speak 
somewhat  in  detail  of  the  various  sections  of  the  report. 

At  the  first  meeting  of  the  Committee  on  Uniform  Records  and  Reports  five  definite 
points  of  attack  of  the  problem  were  indicated.  First,  there  are  the  items  to  be  recorded 
in  relation  to  the  individual  child,  the  smallest  unit,  yet  the  one  for  whom,  we  trust,  the 
system  is  constructed  and  run.  The  result  of  the  discussion  on  this  point  was  the  indi- 
vidual pupil's  cumidative  record  card,  which  was  submitted  to  superintendents  of  schools 
in  all  states  and  was  very  generally  approved  by  them.  It  was  an  important  part  of  the 
preliminary  report  presented  last  year  at  Mobile.  Up  to  this  date  school  systems  repre- 
senting many  states  of  the  Union  have  adopted  the  card  absolutely  as  reported  while 
many  others  report  that  they  are  using  forms  identical  in  aU  essential  points.  The 
issuing  of  this  form  by  various  card-catalog  publishers  is  perhaps  satisfactory  evidence 
of  the  practical  appeal  it  has  made. 

The  second  task  undertaken  was  to  secure  if  possible  a  similar  agreement  on  a  uni- 
form teacher's  register  to  the  end  that  a  common  ground  be  reached  for  recording  and 
reporting  items  of  the  individual  schools.  This  task  has  presented  unusual  difficulties 
growing  out  of  the  varied  local  requirements  in  respect  to  information  desired.  The 
forms  for  this  register  could  not  be  obtained  in  season  for  distribution  in  advance  of  this 


COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS  47 

meeting.  They  are  among  the  material  you  have  now  and  will  be  discussed  by  Mr. 
Warriner. 

A  very  large  part  of  the  time  and  attention  of  the  committee  has  been  given  to  the 
proposed  forms  for  collecting  fiscal  and  educational  statistics  from  the  various  school 
systems.  The  forms  finally  adopted  you  have  seen.  There  has  already  been  a  sufficient 
degree  of  agreement  on  these  forms  by  county,  city,  and  state  superintendents  to  warrant 
the  expectation  that  they  will  at  least  provide  a  most  satisfactory  basis  for  the  beginning 
of  a  uniform  statistics  collecting  agency.  Several  state  superintendents  have  already 
undertaken  to  formulate  their  own  reporting  systems  on  this  common  basis.  A  particu- 
larly satisfactory  development  has  been  that  indicated  by  the  suggestion  of  Commissioner 
Claxton  and  agreed  to  by  state  officers  that  thru  these  forms  a  system  may  be  devised  by 
which  the  national  bureau  will  collect  its  statistics  thru  the  state  officers,  obviating  the 
necessity  of  the  several  reports  now  required  or  requested  of  local  officers. 

On  these  three  points  thus  far  mentioned  it  has  seemed  important  to  secure  agreement 
not  only  as  to  the  fundamental  facts  to  be  kept  and  recorded  by  all  school  systems  but 
even  to  prescribe  with  some  detail  the  manner  of  their  recording.  This  does  not  preclude 
the  possibility  of  such  additional  statistics  gathering  as  any  local  officer  may  desire. 
Without  such  agreement,  however,  the  value  of  statistics  for  purposes  of  comparison  will 
be  greatly  decreased  if  not  entirely  lost.  The  committee  appreciates  fully  the  importance 
of  preserving  the  sequence  of  itenxs  that  have  always  been  considered  and  the  forms 
suggested  do  not  by  any  means  contemplate  the  ignoring  of  previous  records,  however 
faulty  they  may  have  been  made. 

The  fourth  and  fifth  propositions  considered  were  the  form  and  content  of  city  and 
state  reports.  The  method  and  form  of  final  publication  of  statistics,  while  not  presenting 
the  problem  of  securing  accuracy  to  the  same  degree  as  in  collecting  statistics,  are  never- 
theless of  supreme  importance  as  dealing  with  the  ultimate  use  of  it  all,  the  interpretation 
to  the  public.  It  is  obvious  that  there  is  little  use  in  collecting  masses  of  figures  and 
statistics  if  they  are  not  to  be  made  available  for  the  practical  service  of  those  who  seek 
the  improvement  and  right  adjustment  of  the  conditions  represented.  The  committee 
has  of  course  recognized  that  the  forms  of  presentation  are  not  to  be  prescribed  on  all 
points  of  detail.  However,  if  my  school  reports  are  to  be  useful  to  you  and  yours  to  me, 
then  on  certain  fundamental  points  of  common  experience  we  must  speak  to  each  other 
in  the  terms  of  a  conunon  language.  For  this  reason  your  committee  has  gone  so  far  as 
to  suggest  in  the  sections  dealing  with  city  and  state  reports  certain  points,  tables,  and 
schedules  thru  which  it  believes  any  school  report  will  be  made  to  appeal  to  a  larger 
constituency. 

In  closing  my  part  of  this  presentation,  I  beg  to  emphasize  the  point  that  the  work 
thus  far  done  in  bringing  about  a  partial  reformation  in  our  methods  of  school  reporting 
will  increase  in  value  in  direct  proportion  as  superintendents  bring  about  the  more  general 
adoption  and  use  of  these  forms  that  stand  as  the  joint  product  of  yourselves  and  of  the 
other  agencies  I  have  named. 

Such  uniformity  as  may  be  implied  in  this  general  adoption  of  forms  or  general  use 
of  suggested  tables  is  by  no  means  incompatible  with  originality  in  report-making.  After 
we  have  agreed  upon  the  fundamental  points  of  school  reporting  and  accounting  to  the 
end  that  we  may  have  comparable  data  expressed  in  similar  terms,  then  the  manner  of 
their  presentation  and  interpretation  to  the  pubhc  will  constitute  a  constant  challenge 
to  the  skill  and  ingenuity  of  the  superintendent  who  himself  knows  his  schools  and  desires 
his  public  to  have  the  same  full  information. 

Harlan  Updegraff,  Bureau  of  Education,  Washington,  D.C. — The  committee  has 
made  a  notable  contribution  to  the  progress  of  educational  administration.  A  complete 
revision  in  the  recording  and  reporting  of  school  data  is  demanded  by  the  conditions  which 
confront  us.     Our  schools  have  grown  in  much  the  same  manner  as  has  the  business  of  a 


48  NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 

storekeeper  in  a  small  town,  which  increased  as  the  municipality  grew,  until  it  became 
a  prominent  factor  in  the  commercial  life  of  a  large  city.  When  the  business 
was  small  and  its  owner  could  personally  supervise  all  the  details  of  the  bookkeeping 
system  he  could  well  regard  his  entire  establishment  as  a  single  unit,  but  as  it  grew  larger 
and  larger  and  he  knew  less  and  less  of  the  details  it  became  necessary  for  him  to  adopt 
a  system  of  accounting  which  would  separate  the  businesses  of  the  various  departments 
as  they  increased  in  number,  and  which  would  at  the  same  time  by  a  careful,  scientific 
classification  of  expense  and  receipt  items  reveal  leaks,  check  wastes,  and  measure  profits. 

The  largest  city  systems  have  many  different  tjT>es  of  schools  and  activities,  and 
some  of  these  are  properly  divided  into  smaller  units  called  departments.  Every  city 
and  ahnost  every  town  and  village  in  the  United  States  has  an  elementary  and  a  high 
school.  Rural  schools  are  ejcpanding,  so  that  they  have  a  high  school  and  departments 
of  manual  training,  domestic  science,  and  agriculture.  A  school  farm  is  frequently  a 
source  of  revenue  to  the  district  as  well  as  an  educational  laboratory.  Progressive 
school  boards  are  demanding  that  accurate  and  separate  accounts  be  kept  of  each  unit 
of  school  work  and  in  such  a  way  as  to  show  clearly  the  function  served  by  every  expendi- 
ture and  the  source  of  every  receipt.  The  gain  in  the  increased  economy  and  efficiency 
will  more  than  repay  the  increased  expense  involved  in  their  more  detailed  accounting 
and  reporting. 

The  attendance  and  expense  figures  for  a  city  school  system  as  a  whole  are  practically 
meaningless  save  for  the  relation  they  show  in  a  broad  way  to  the  relative  totals  of  school 
expenses  as  compared  with  expenses  in  other  civil  affairs.  Their  value  in  pointing  out 
ways  for  increased  economy  and  increased  efficiency  is  practically  nil.  We  must  have 
separate  figures  for  elementary  schools,  high  schools,  training  schools,  special  schools 
of  various  types,  and  for  all  the  schools  included  in  the  city  system,  and  the  details  with 
which  the  expenses  of  these  various  types  of  schools  are  kept  should  increase  with  the 
amount  of  money  expended  for  their  support. 

One  of  the  chief  merits  of  the  fiscal  forms  is  that  they  are  all  arranged  in  accordance 
with  the  same  functional  classification  of  items.  The  longer  schedules  may  be  reduced  to 
the  shorter  by  simple  addition  of  the  items  involved  in  each  case.  In  this  way  the  state 
and  the  national  education  offices  may  collect  data  from  each  system  of  schools  on  a 
schedule  commensurate  with  the  size  of  its  school  system.  The  data  may  be  reported 
both  in  separate  tables  for  each  group,  as  for  cities  above  10,000,  cities  from  2,500  to 
10,000,  and  rural  districts,  and  also  all  together  in  a  fimdamental  table  from  which  the 
summaries  of  the  state  may  be  calculated. 

Accounting  forms  for  keeping  these  detailed  expenses  may  be  adapted  to  many 
different  systems  of  accounting.  The  essential  form  is  one  covering  two  pages.  Upon 
the  left  side  of  the  left-hand  page  should  be  placed  columns  for  such  data  as  will  identify 
a  voucher,  followed  by  a  total  colunm.  The  remaining  portion  of  the  left-hand  page 
and  all  of  the  right-hand  page  should  contain  as  many  columns  as  are  required — one  for 
€ach  of  the  various  kinds  of  payments.  Such  a  form  may  be  used  as  a  book  of  original 
entry,  as  a  principal  or  as  a  subsidiary  ledger,  or  for  more  than  one  of  such  purposes. 

It  falls  to  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Education  more  than  to  any  other  agency  to 
put  into  effect  the  recommendations  of  the  committee,  if  approved  by  the  department. 
The  Bureau  of  Education  asks  your  full  and  hearty  co-operation.  The  final  result 
will  depend  more  upon  the  attitude  the  school  officers  take  toward  the  matter  than  upon 
the  staff  of  the  Bureau  of  Education. 

E.  C.  Warriner,  superintendent  of  schools,  Saginaw,  Mich. — Speaking  generally, 
uniformity  in  educational  matters  is  not  desirable.  Uniform  courses  of  study,  uniform 
textbooks  thru  any  wide  area,  uniform  methods  of  teaching,  are  alike  deadening,  stifling 
to  initiative  and  individual  growth,  and  therefore  result  in  stagnation  rather  than  in 
progress.    In  the  matter  of  educational  reports,  however,  the  opposite  is  true.    Here 


COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS  49 

variety  tends  to  chaos  and  confusion,  hence  to  inactivity,  while  uniformity  permits 
comparisons  to  be  made,  resulting  in  emulation  and  progress. 

At  the  Mobile  meeting  of  this  department  a  cumulative  record  card  was  recom- 
mended by  your  committee,  designed  to  follow  a  pupil  thru  his  elementary-school  career. 
That  this  card  fills  a  place  in  our  record  scheme  is  proved  by  replies  received  in  the  ofiice 
of  the  conmiissioner  of  education  showing  that  216  cities  have  already  adopted  and  are 
using  this  card.  These  replies  have  not  shown  a  marked  demand  for  any  change  either 
in  the  size  or  in  the  contents  of  this  card,  and  your  committee  therefore  resubmits  this 
card  and  urges  its  wide  adoption.  From  this  cumulative  record  card  may  be  learned  in 
what  schools  the  pupil  has  been  enrolled  during  his  elementary-school  career  and  what 
effect  his  attendance  in  these  different  schools  has  had  on  his  progress;  the  card  also 
shows  how  many  times  the  child  has  been  detained  in  a  grade  and  the  relation  between 
absence  from  school  and  retardation;  the  card  will  also  show  the  influence  of  foreign 
birth  and  of  kindergarten  training  on  school  progress.  For  these  reasons  your  committee 
strongly  urges  upon  all  superintendents  present  the  earnest  consideration  of  the  advis- 
ability of  using  the  card  presented  and  already  in  use  in  216  cities. 

As  was  pointed  out  in  the  report  of  this  committee  a  year  ago  at  the  Mobile  meeting, 
the  ultimate  basis  for  all  statistics  in  regard  to  pupils  is  the  teacher's  daily  register. 
From  the  records  found  in  this  register  is  compiled  the  teacher's  monthly  report  to  the 
principal,  from  these  the  principal's  report  to  the  superintendent,  and  so  on  to  the  end. 
If,  then,  there  can  be  an  agreement  as  to  how  the  teacher's  daily  register  is  to  be  kept 
and  an  agreement  as  to  the  terminology  therein  employed,  educational  statistics  in  city 
and  county  systems,  in  states,  and  ultimately  in  the  nation,  will  assume  a  uniformity 
eminently  to  be  desired. 

Your  committee  made  certain  definite  suggestions  a  year  ago  in  regard  to  the  defini- 
tions to  be  used  in  keeping  the  daily  register,  which  we  desire  to  repeat  and  urge  for 
readoption  with  one  exception.  Our  former  report  recommended  that  a  pupil  should  be 
temporarily  discharged  at  the  end  of  five  consecutive  days  of  absence.  We  now  recom- 
mend that  three  replace  five  in  this  definition  as  conforming  to  the  existing  practice  over 
a  wide  area  of  the  country.  With  this  change,  your  committee  suggests  that  a  teacher's 
daily  register  should  contain  the  following  items. 

1.  Names  of  boys  and  girls,  enrolled  separately. 

2.  Age  of  each  pupil  as  of  September  i  of  the  current  school  year. 

3.  Attendance  by  sessions. 

4.  Tardiness  by  sessions. 

5.  Enrollment,  classified  as  follows: 

a)  Pupils  previously  enrolled  during  the  year,  including  transfers  within  the  school 
or  school  district.  (This  item  is  thrown  out  in  computing  the  number  of  different 
pupils  enrolled  during  the  school  year  in  a  given  school  or  school  district.) 

b)  Pupils  previously  enrolled  during  the  year  in  some  other  school  or  school  district 
in  the  same  town  or  city.  (This  item  is  thrown  out  in  computing  the  number  of 
different  pupils  enrolled  during  the  year  in  a  given  town  or  city.) 

c)  Pupils  previously  enrolled  during  the  year  in  other  towns  or  cities  in  the  state. 
(This  item  is  thrown  out  in  computing  the  number  of  different  pupils  enrolled 
during  the  year  in  a  given  state.  The  use  of  this  item  will  enable  state  depart- 
ments to  secure  an  accurate  record  of  the  whole  number  of  different  pupils  enrolled 
within  the  state.) 

d)  Pupils  not  previously  enrolled  during  the  year  in  any  town  or  city  in  the  state. 
(These  are  original  enrollments  included  in  all  reports.) 

6.  Discharged  pupils,  classified  as  follows: 

a)  Pupils  temporarily  discharged  (after  an  absence  of  3  consecutive  days)  or  trans- 
ferred within  the  school  or  school  district. 

b)  Pupils  transferred  to  any  other  school,  public  or  private. 

c)  Pupils  permanently  discharged  to  go  to  work  or  because  of  having  reached  the 
age  limit  before  completing  the  elementary-school  course. 

d)  Pupils  discharged  for  other  reasons. 


so  NA  TIONA L  EDUCA  TION  A SSOCIA  TION 

The  above  data  comprehend  the  minimum  requirement  of  information  to  be  fur- 
nished by  a  teacher's  register.  Certain  other  items  obtainable  from  these  data  must  be 
recorded  daily  either  in  the  register  itself  or  on  a  daily  summary  sheet.  As  to  where 
items  shall  be  thus  recorded  is  a  matter  of  detail  which  is  not  of  so  great  importance  as 
is  the  fact  that  the  same  definitions  be  adopted  generally.  The  most  important  of  these 
definitions  are  those  of  the  total  enrollment,  number  belonging,  and  average  attendance. 
It  is  of  prime  importance  for  any  comparative  use  of  enrollment  statistics  that  the  same 
meaning  of  the  word  enrollment  should  be  generally  adopted.  Plainly,  in  reckoning 
the  total  number  of  different  pupils  enrolled  in  a  given  school  system,  the  only  fair  and 
honest  basis  is  to  exclude  all  duplications  of  names  within  that  system.  Pupils  trans- 
ferred from  one  room  to  another  room  in  the  same  school  or  from  one  school  to  another 
school  in  the  same  city  or  school  system  should  be  counted  but  once.  All  such  duplica- 
tions should  be  faithfully  deducted  in  making  up  the  enrollment  figures  for  the  year, 
even  if  the  final  showing  is  disappointing  from  the  point  of  view  of  numbers.  These 
deductions  are  provided  for  in  items  (o)  and  (b),  under  the  definition  of  enrollment  above. 

Your  committee  has  gone  a  step  farther  and  provides  for  the  prevention  of  duplicate 
enrollments  within  the  state.  We  believe  that  this  will  be  hailed  by  all  state  superin- 
tendents as  a  forward  step.  Education  is  a  state  function.  The  state  is  an  important 
unit  in  every  educational  function  and  statistics  should  be  honest  and  fair  with  respect 
to  states  quite  as  much  as  with  respect  to  individual  cities  or  districts.  This  recommenda- 
tion will  bring  about  knowledge  of  the  facts  of  state  enrollment. 

The  number  of  pupils  belonging  is  determined  by  the  rules  given  above  for  the  dis- 
charge of  pupils.  Where  funds  are  distributed  on  the  basis  of  average  membership  of 
the  school  or  average  number  belonging,  it  is  a  matter  of  justice  that  the  same  basis  be 
adopted  for  deciding  how  long  pupils  are  to  be  carried  on  the  rolls.  The  recommendation 
of  your  committee  that  a  pupil  be  dropped  from  the  rolls  after  three  days  of  consecutive 
absence  is  believed  to  accord  with  the  most  general  practice  and  we  hope  that  it  will  be 
universally  adopted.  To  ascertain  the  average  membership  or  average  number  belonging, 
it  is  only  necessary  to  find  the  sum  of  the  number  belonging  for  a  series  of  days  and  divide 
this  sum  by  the  number  of  days  in  consideration. 

The  average  daily  attendance  is  found  in  the  same  way,  by  adding  together  the 
number  of  days  each  pupil  was  present  during  the  year  and  dividing  the  sum,  which  is 
the  aggregate  attendance  in  days,  by  the  number  of  school  days  during  the  year.  In 
case  the  percentage  of  attendance  is  required,  it  may  be  found  by  dividing  the  average 
number. of  attendance  by  the  average  number  belonging. 

Whether  these  last-named  items  are  recorded  in  the  teacher's  register  every  day  or 
not,  they  must  be  kept  and  reported  at  the  end  of  the  month  and  of  the  year  to  the  princi- 
pal, superintendent,  or  board  of  education.  For  this  purpose  your  committee  submits 
a  model  form  for  the  teacher's  monthly  report  to  the  principal. 

It  is  probable  that  in  different  states  and  in  different  school  systems  other  and 
additional  items  may  be  recorded  in  the  teacher's  register  and  reported  in  the  teacher's 
monthly  report.  This  will  in  no  way  interfere  with  the  minimum  amount  of  information 
as  here  described.  Your  committee  does  not  include  in  its  model  register  the  residence 
of  pupils  or  the  name  of  parents,  because  these  are  found  on  the  cumulative  record  card 
previously  recommended  and  adopted  by  this  department.  But  if  these  are  added  it 
will  only  add  to  the  size  of  the  register  form.  The  committee  recommends  a  scheme  of 
symbols  for  recording  different  forms  of  enrollment  and  discharge.  The  advantage  of 
the  adoption  of  such  a  uniform  system  would  be  the  ease  with  which  teachers  moving 
from  one  place  to  another  might  accommodate  themselves  to  a  new  system  of  schools. 
The  work  of  record-keeping  should  be  made  as  easy  as  possible  for  teachers,  and  if  record- 
keeping can  be  standardized,  a  teacher  once  having  learned  to  keep  a  register  will  be  able 
to  keep  the  register  wherever  he  goes.  Under  existing  conditions  a  new  teacher  must 
spend  too  much  time  in  learning  the  red  tape  of  the  new  system  in  which  he  finds  himself. 


COMMITTEE  ON  UNIFORM  RECORDS  AND  REPORTS  51 

William  H.  Elson,  superintendent  of  schools,  Cleveland,  Ohio. — Valuable  experi- 
ments in  education  now  being  made  are  described  in  the  reports  of  superintendents. 
These  documents  are  for  this  reason  becoming  increasingly  helpful  and  widely  used  by 
students  of  education.  In  consequence  these  reports  should  be  made  readily  usable 
by  having:  (i)  a  table  of  contents,  showing  not  only  general  headings  treated,  but  also 
the  subheads;  (2)  a  carefully  prepared  index.  These  are  important  factors  in  making 
the  report  usable. 

The  report  shoiild  contain  tables  showing  the  enrollment,  the  distribution  of  enroll- 
ment; withdrawals,  distribution  of  withdrawals,  causes  of  withdrawals;  nonpromotion, 
distribution  of  nonpromotion,  causes  of  nonpromotion,  failures  in  studies,  for  both 
elementary  and  high  schools. 

Increasing  interest  centers  in  cost.  The  increasing  cost  of  education  and  the  Umits 
of  taxation  make  necessary  the  squaring  of  every  educational  measure  with  money- 
values.  Per  capita  cost  of  instruction,  on  the  one  hand,  and  of  educational  equipment 
and  suppUes,  on  the  other,  should  be  shown  city-wide  and  per  building.  Five-  or  ten- 
year  tables  showing  cost  should  be  carried  for  purposes  of  comparison.  Such  tables  of 
cost  not  only  make  for  economy  in  educational  supplies  and  equipment  but  they  foster 
unification  and  standardization  in  the  various  buildings  in  a  school  district. 

The  gathering  of  data  along  lines  suggested  in  the  forms  submitted  by  this  report 
of  the  Committee  on  Uniform  Records  and  Reports  will  go  a  long  way  in  placing  actual 
school  conditions  at  the  disposal  of  administrators  and  make  possible  the  overcoming 
of  such  educational  waste  as  the  school  may  be  found  to  be  responsible  for. 


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